Prologue
I am ready for this.
Probably.
I stand in the centre of the nondescript office, facing the door. It’s just a
waiting game now.
The last few months had been challenging for both the witch and vampire
communities. I had seen people I respected and cared for afraid, worried, and even
worse in some cases. It had never been acceptable that there had been such
suffering, and it certainly wasn’t now.
I had thought my own life had a settled future. How naïve I had been! I gritted
my teeth. I could not let the overwhelming sadness of what had happened to me
make my power and focus weaker. I needed to be stronger than I had ever been, for
I didn’t know what was about to come through that door.
Was it a person — a being — a thing? Did it really matter at this point? We
knew it appeared to be a female. That was the problem. All I knew was that it had to
be stopped at any cost, and I was the only person who could do it. Although having
seen her power previously, I wasn’t too confident in my own abilities. I’d struggled
when facing her before, yet she’d been able to fight me and cast spells over those
around me. That took a lot of power and didn’t bode well for today.
I don’t think it’s overly-dramatic to say this is my destiny. Ok, fine, perhaps a
tad drama-queenish, but give me a break; I wasn’t sure if I was going to get out of
this place alive. Let me have my moment of glory, even if it was only happening
inside my head.
I heard the lift mechanism whirr into action. My stomach lurched. I wish I were
one of those people who were cool and calm in every situation, but I was the sort
more likely to fall flat on my face when I needed to walk tall and confident. It shows
how desperate times were that everything depended upon me. The sound of the lift
shuddering to a stop focused my attention. There was no turning back now. This was
it.
I stood facing the doorway. Close enough to act, but far enough away to make
the person entering look for me. As the room appeared empty to anyone who wasn’t
a witch, it would give me only a second’s advantage, but it would have to do.
Whether she was a witch or not was still up for discussion — she was certainly
magical.
If it had been my choice, I would have chosen somewhere far grander to have
the battle from which I might not walk away — some gothic mansion somewhere or a
wild and remote castle. Unfortunately, time and again, life didn’t work out the way I
would have planned if I’d been in charge. I am convinced I would have done a better
job. Momentous occasions need dramatic backdrops. Hollywood has trained us to
believe that’s how great events occur, along with a magnificent soundtrack. Are you
safe in the woods if there is no spooky music playing in the background?
Footsteps approached, and I squared my shoulders. She wasn’t trying to
sneak up on me, which was a worrying realisation. No more inane thoughts intruded
to offset my panic and fear. For I was afraid. Are true heroes born without fear? I had
no idea. The reality was that I couldn’t be classed as any sort of hero, for I was
heart-poundingly, hands-sweatily terrified.
Frowning as the door slowly opened, I hesitated just for a second.
“You!” Surprise and, yes, disappointment, coursed through my veins. Why did
it have to be the man I had loved — nay, still loved, standing there? Was the
universe that cruel?
I was completely confused. I’d expected to see a female form, but he was
definitely male. I could swear to that.
Later, I would have time to mourn what I had to do and the destruction of the
person who had to be the victim. I had to act. My heart pounded, and I felt dizzy with
sickness, staring at him. How I loved him! Why did it have to be him?
“Jennifer, it’s not what you think,” Oliver, my vampire ex-boyfriend said quietly.
“It never is,” I said. “I thought you were a good guy. Why couldn’t you be?” My
hands moved with the force of magic building within my fingers. He knew what was
coming. He knew me well enough to know my power, and he knew he could not do
anything to protect himself. I’d thought I was to face a stronger foe than me, but
Oliver wasn’t. He was a vampire, yes, but against my magic, he didn’t stand a
chance.
He didn’t try to defend himself, just stood looking at me with those silver-grey
eyes of his that changed colour with the emotion he felt. They stared at me now with
nothing but sadness.
“Jennifer —”
I raised my hands. “I’m sorry.”
Chapter 1
Three months earlier.
My name is Jennifer Sinclair. I am thirty-two, and I am a witch. For the last ten years,
I tried to turn my back on my heritage. All that happened is that I got bitten on my
bum. Hard.
***
My older sister, Julie, stood behind me, attaching a decorative eye mask to my face.
It was for my first masquerade ball on Valentine’s day. If only it was for a romantic
reason; instead, it was to try to gain acceptance into a group of people who were out
to rid my town — if not the wider area — of all the supernaturals who lived here. That
was not my idea of a fun night out.
Julie pulled the ribbon tight, and I winced as the mask dug into the skin on my
face. “Ow! I am going to have to keep this on for hours. You do realise that, don’t
you? I won’t be able to feel my face by the end of it.”
“Better that than it slipping and them finding out who you are,” Julie said. She
didn’t need to say she disapproved of the scheme; my family and my boyfriend had
all regularly pointed out the madness of my acceptance of this crazy idea.
“It’s still not common knowledge that I’m using magic again,” I reminded her. I
had turned my back on the witching world and my magical abilities ten years ago
when I’d been involved in a prank spell that had gone wrong, resulting in the death of
my best friend, Sophie. It had been the worst time of my life.
A witch had been murdered, and I’d started using magic again. I’d studied
hard and worked harder with my former teacher and mentor to learn all that I had
renounced only to find that my trusted mentor had been the foe in a major power
grab, trying to take over the magical communities and then the nonmagical one.
Once the murderers had been brought to a brutal justice for their crimes by
the witch and vampire communities, I managed to find out what had actually
happened during that fateful night a decade ago and in the days following Sophie’s
death. Until then, I hadn’t a clue what had gone on, and I don’t think I would ever get
over what had happened. I didn’t think that a day would pass without me thinking of
her, but at least I had the truth now. She’d been recovered and laid to rest, and I
could try to start to live with the reality of what had caused her death.
“Those people are still prepared to kill you, magic or no magic,” Julie
interrupted my thoughts.
“Two of them tried, but they are dead. It’s highly likely they were just rogues in
the group — power of their positions going to their heads. I doubt there’s any
immediate danger,” I pointed out.
“If you think that reasoning can pacify me like you’ve tried to reassure
Grandma and Mum, you’ve underestimated me.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” I answered. It’s true. My sister was probably the quietest of
the women in my family, taking after our dad’s nature rather than the more
outspoken, never shut-up witch that was my grandma, mum, and yes, even me on
occasion. Physically she resembled mum and grandma, with her long black hair and
green eyes, a pre-requisite in witches. Unfortunately, I hadn’t got that memo, and my
brown hair and blue eyes were as unwitch-like as you could get. Julie was my
closest friend, and although she’d had a rough time of it over the last few years,
recently she seemed to be returning to her old self. It was good to see the real Julie
returning to our midst. She was just like our dad: When she spoke, people listened.
“I also believe in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas,” she muttered, satisfied
that nothing was going to be able to pull the mask off and moving round to my front.
“You mean they aren’t real?” I gasped, my hand on my heart.
Rolling her eyes, she looked me up and down. I was wearing a long red dress
with a slit up to the knee on one side. It was very fitted and clung to my curves,
which I have in abundance. Julie had been the one to choose it, ignoring my appeals
to hide said curves instead of accentuating them. “You look good. Oliver would
appreciate you looking so fine. A pity you barred him from being here tonight.”
Oliver Collins. My vampire boyfriend who was not happy in the slightest that I
was determined to go into the lion’s den, so to speak. Oh, and he was my superior at
work, a detective chief inspector in the local police force, to my police constable
rank. Oh, and he was the supreme elder within the vampire community. Vampires
tended to have a sense of superiority over others, and although Oliver had his
moments, believe me, he also had quite a vulnerable side. Add that to a gorgeous
body and compelling, look-into-your-soul eyes, and he was a mixture I’d been unable
to resist. But, yes, I suppose it does make life a little complicated at times.
My doorbell rang, and Julie went to answer it. I pulled on some long, cream,
satin gloves, which came to just above my elbow and felt very odd. I was very much
a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl; all this fancy dressing up made me want to wriggle
uncomfortably, like a five-year old in a party dress.
I heard murmurings. It was Fitzwilliam, my trusty police dog and familiar —
yes, a dog as a familiar. I hadn’t realised until the beginning of our troubles that he
was actually my familiar — yet another twist to my complicated life. Confused yet? I
certainly am!
What the heck do you think it was like living my life over the last few months?
Talk about a roller coaster. Anyway, back to Fitz — don’t judge, especially as when
he speaks, all I hear is a gravelly Al Pacino. There are worse voices to have in your
head, believe me. Don’t think I can’t see your raised eyebrows at my dog’s name.
Yes, he was named after the most popular man in English Literature, Fitzwilliam
Darcy, and yes, I’m going out with Mr Collins, probably the least popular man in
literature. In my defence, if Jane Austen had seen my Mr Collins, Pride and
Prejudice would have ended the moment Mr Collins proposed to Lizzy. Believe me,
she wouldn’t have wanted to refuse, even with the smouldering Darcy in the
background. My Mr Collins probably taught Mr Darcy his moves, for Oliver has the
full range of troubled hero looks, believe me.
Not that I’m hoping Oliver will propose; I’m a very modern woman, happy in
my skin and with my life, apart from knowing that there are witch and vampire
hunters on the loose in the community, of course. That does tend to put a damper on
things and, of course, if I want to get married I’m not above bringing up the subject
myself.
Fitz led the way into the lounge followed by Julie; Paddy, my so-called date for
the night, followed.
Paddy whistled. “You look almost good enough to consider giving up playing
the field. Almost,” he said with a smile.
“I am in a relationship, and you are the biggest tart that ever walked the
earth,” I said.
“Hey, I resemble that remark!” Paddy laughed. He was completely at ease
with the fact that there was a trail of disappointed hearts behind him. I could
understand why he was so popular: Handsome, with blonde hair, laughing blue eyes,
and the charm of a hundred men, he had never attracted me in a romantic way. We
had joined the police together, and although we hadn’t followed the same paths
career-wise, we had kept in touch, and he had been really useful in helping with the
case of the murdered witch.
“It’s your responsibility to keep her safe,” Julie said. There was no laughter in
her expression, which was unusual for my sister.
Paddy looked at Julie for a moment and opened his mouth as if to speak, but I
interrupted. “Hello! Able, magic-filled woman here! I am quite capable of looking after
myself.”
“The people who belong to this ‘cult’ have shown that they will stop at nothing
to reach their goal. Trying to kill a vampire is no mean feat,” Julie defended her
words. She had turned to me, but the look of disgust she’d shot in Paddy’s direction
surprised me. Julie was the nice one of the family, again like dad’s side. I am more
like my argumentative, stroppy grandma, and let’s leave it at that. I am sure you can
picture which one of us was always in trouble as a child.
What she said was true, though: They had tried to kill Oliver by injecting silver
into him, and it had nearly worked. That event still haunted my dreams. Luckily,
these days I had Oliver by my side, so I could reassure myself about his safety
without making phone calls at odd times during the night.
“I will look after her,” Paddy said. For once he wasn’t laughing.
“You will be held personally responsible if anything happens that puts her in
any danger.”
Looking at me, Paddy smiled. “All the women in your family are terrifying. Her
especially.”
“Which is why you should always be particularly nice to dad. He has to put up
with a lot. Now, come on! There is a party to go to. But before you get any ideas,
there will be no kissing,” I said. Picking up my bag, I gave Julie a hug. “Don’t worry, I
won’t be doing anything stupid.”
“Good.” Julie hugged me back, and we parted. She stood near Fitz and
watched us leave the room.
“Can we rewind a little and discuss the no kissing comment?” Paddy asked as
we left my house.
“Nope.”
“But this is a Valentine’s dance, and you are my date.”
“We are working, and I would never be your date. I have a boyfriend you like
to wind up even though he outranks you,” I said. Paddy was driving, for which I was
glad; I didn’t want us to be in a position where we had to wait for taxis. I wasn’t
expecting any trouble, especially as we were out with the sole intention of cementing
Paddy’s acceptance into the group, but after the last few months, we were both
aware that anything could happen.
“Your beloved is such an easy target. He obviously has severe insecurity
issues when I’m around, which is understandable, of course,” Paddy said.
“It’s just because you are such an overt flirt. Has anyone ever said no to you?
Except me, of course.”
“Your sister.” My shocked expression made Paddy laugh, although he had
flushed a little at his confession.
“You’ve asked Julie out? When? And why do I not know about this?”
“Am I allowed to answer those questions one at a time? Yes, I have asked her
out. It was when we were in police training and she came down to see you. Why she
refused, I have no idea. I mean look at me! The reason you don’t know is that if you
think I am going to admit openly the occasional, and I stress the word occasional,
time my charms are rebuffed, you don’t know me very well.”
“Julie was married when I was in training.”
“I didn’t know that at the time.”
“Interesting. Have you not asked her out since her divorce?” Julie had
suffered an extremely acrimonious divorce a few years ago. It had been painful to
watch the most kind, generous person I knew go through a marriage and then a
separation that was so difficult it shook her confidence badly. As I’ve said, thankfully
she’s starting to return to her old self, but there’s still some way to go.
“No. Ah, she — er — told me in no uncertain terms that she would never
consider me. How did I know she was married? I wouldn’t have tried to kiss her if I
had known!”
“Did you happen to take a look at her ring finger?”
“No. It was dark in the pub.”
“Paddy! How the heck have you not been beaten to a pulp by now? You must
have upset many people.”
“I always wear body armour, remember?” Paddy said.
I had only just found out that snippet of information after I had seen him shot.
The relief had been huge when he had survived without a scratch; he had then
admitted he wore it all the time. I know he had always hinted that he worked in the
more secretive part of the police force, but I had no real idea of what he did, mainly
because I hadn’t taken him seriously, and he wouldn’t have told me if I had.
“I’m hoping tonight it won’t be needed.”
“No. This is all about gathering information.”
“At a masked ball, where we can’t see anyone.”
“The masks come off at midnight, which would have been useful to stay for,
but we’re not going to. You are going to have to feign illness at about half eleven so
we can leave. I don’t want them seeing you, just in case Mike and the chief
superintendent mentioned you. I know I joke, but I will keep you safe.” Paddy shot
me a serious look, unusual for him.
The chief superintendent of the police division had killed his wife when he had
found out she was a witch. He hated all supernaturals, and when he discovered his
wife was one, he said she’d tried to make a fool of him. He had then tried to blame
her murder on the vampire community. As witches and vampires live side-by-side in
our town, but exist cautiously together, it could have caused all sorts of problems if a
vampire had killed a witch. Along with his cohort, my sergeant, they had decided,
that when Oliver and I were getting closer to solving the murder, it was an
opportunity to get rid of two more supernaturals. After all, we were polluting the
police force, being the only two serving officers from the magical world. It had been a
difficult time for both communities.
Now Paddy was trying to infiltrate the group whose aim in life was to get rid of
witches and vampires. To what extent they intended acting on their feelings and
wishes, as yet, we didn’t know, but it wasn’t right that a group that was so prejudiced
should exist in a so-called enlightened society.
I was hoping that the actions of Mike and Chris, the chief superintendent, in
murdering a witch were the exception to the rule in how far the group was willing to
go, but history would suggest that they might not be. After all, both groups had been
hunted for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It was a depressing thought that,
after all this time, we still weren’t accepted as equal to non-magics, but I was
determined to help fight those who were out to cause trouble. ...
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