Freak of Nature (The Lost Witch Trilogy #1) (12 page)

BOOK: Freak of Nature (The Lost Witch Trilogy #1)
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Sarah nodded and smiled over her sh
oulder as she walked out onto the front porch. “No problem Gretchen. I’m just happy I could do something.”

Gretchen nodded, her eyes filling with tears
as she turned back towards her mom.

Sarah stared at the closed door and sighed, feeling so empty, hungry and exhausted that she wasn’t sure she could walk the two blocks to the store.
She shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jeans and walked down the steps and onto the side walk. She made her way slowly home and used the key Gretchen had given her to let herself in to the store.

She grabbed a water bottle and a left over muffin and trudged up the stairs.
She locked her apartment door and leaned against the wall by her little window as she devoured the muffin and drank her water. She stared at the dark night and felt suddenly very cold. She frowned at the unfriendly sky and shut her blinds blocking out the outside world.

She didn’t even bother
to find her pajamas and just crawled under her covers with her jeans and t-shirt and immediately fell asleep. She slept so soundly, it was only the pounding on her bedroom door that woke her the next morning.

She moaned as she threw the covers off, wondering
why her body ached and felt sore. She stumbled to the door and barely remembered to say, “Who is it?”

“It’s Gretchen, Sarah.”

Sarah immediately opened the door and let Gretchen in on a wave of floral scent, a whirl of her silk gray skirt and restless energy. Sarah winced at the light Gretchen brought in with her and stumbled back to bed, laying her heavy head back onto her pillow.

“How’s Agnes?” she croaked, closing her eyes.

Gretchen looked around her room, walking quickly to the bathroom and peeking inside. She then walked to the closet and opened the doors, pulling the clothes from the very back towards the front.

“Zane!” she called out, looking suspiciously at the underside of the bed.

Sarah looked at her as if she had completely lost it. “Gretchen, are you okay?” she asked tiredly.

Gretchen ran her hands through her hair and looked even more agitated.
“Zane never came home last night. I was thinking that possibly he was here with you.”

Sarah raised her eyebrows at the insinuation and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her at the implication.
“Uh,
no
. We just met Monday, remember? I like your son a lot, but um, we wouldn’t spend the night together,” she said, feeling a warm blush washed up her neck and over her cheeks.

Gretchen winced and nodded.
“Then he’s in trouble Sarah. Hurry and get dressed and come downstairs. We’ve got to do something.”

As what Gretchen said sank in, Sarah felt a cold and dark fear slip into her heart.
She quickly changed and pulled her hair up into a messy pony tail. She ran down the stairs and pushed through the door and walked into the store.

“Gretchen!”
she called moving towards the front of the store and came face to face with Agnes Adams. “
Oh
,” she said coming to a standstill.

Agnes looked her up and down and smiled kindly at her.
“No worries Sarah, Gretchen brought me up to speed. We’ll talk about your father later. Right now, let’s focus on Zane.”

Sarah nodded her head quickly in agreement and moved around Agnes to walk quickly to the front of the store where Gretchen was at the till, talking hurriedly on her cell phone.

“Zane, call me right now.
Please
Zane. Call me. I’m worried,” she said and then lowered her cell phone to the counter staring at it as if it had betrayed her.

Sarah grasped Gretchen’s hand in hers and then wished she hadn’t as all of Gretchen’s emotions poured into her.
Feelings of worry, despair and agitation felt like acid tripping along her nerve endings and she had to let go.

“Gretchen, where did he go yesterday?
Did he tell you where he was going?”

Gretchen looked up and met her eyes uncertainly.
“He told me he was going back to your dad’s house. He wanted to know what happened between Race and your mom. He wanted to know why Race hasn’t been a father to you.”

Sarah felt her heart twist and she turned away.
“I’m going to look for him,” she said and walked towards the front door.

Gretchen lifted her hand.
“That’s too dangerous Sarah. You know Zane wouldn’t want you to put yourself in danger. There are people who would love to have your power under their control. We don’t know what we’re up against here.”

Sarah shook her head impatiently.
“I’m more than capable of taking care of myself Gretchen. I just about fried your son yesterday and that was only because I was irritated. Besides, maybe Zane is totally fine. Maybe he’s still investigating something and lost track of time,” she said, the doubt leaching through her voice.

Gretchen sighed and opened the door for Sarah.
“Bring him home Sarah. Bring him home.”

Agnes reached out and touched her arm before she disappeared.
“He’s in trouble. He’s hurt. I can tell. You need to hurry.”

Sarah winced and rushed outside and then stopped immediately when she realized she didn’t know where to go.
If only Zane had opened up to her about his plans yesterday. She glanced down the street and then looked down the other side. She closed her eyes and pushed out with her energy. She pushed and pushed but came up with nothing. She lowered her head to try harder when her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out and stared at the screen. She growled in irritation at the interruption and then gasped as she saw the subject line
.
ZANE

She opened the text.
Your boyfriend is with us. Want to see him?

Sarah’s eyes widened in horror and she turned to walk back into the store, pushing the door open with her hip as she texted back.
Yes! Where is he?

“Sarah?” Gretchen called from the back of the store.

Sarah ignored her and Agnes as they came to stand next to her. She stared intently at the screen and waited for the vibration to come. Seconds later it came. Meet us at Drake’s house. 1123 South 400 East. Hurry.

Sarah showed the texts to Gretchen and swallowed thickly, feeling as if she could throw up.

“We should go to the police.
They’ve kidnapped him. They’ve hurt him, I just know it. They’ve crossed the line.”

Gretchen nodded her head.
“Give me your phone and I’ll drive over to the police station with Agnes to show them this proof. You head over to Drake’s house and see what you can do,” she said, her eyes looking steel gray and mean.

Sarah nodded her head knowing that if they’d hurt Zane, she would use all the energy she had on them.

Chapter 15 - Just Say No

Sarah glanced at the address one more time and then turned and ran out the door.
She pushed her energy into her legs as she ran as fast as she could towards the address in her mind. It was in the neglected part of town. The oldest part. She flew past buildings and shops, her arms swinging faster and faster as her legs pumped in a whirl of movement. She rounded a corner and came to a jog as she caught sight of the house across the street.

She slowed to a walk and studied the small bungalow.
It was light yellow with black shutters and a black roof. The bright red door was cheery and welcoming in a foul way that reminded her of Hansel and Gretel. But in this story, the witch was the one in trouble. She stepped across the street and as she came closer she could feel the darkness reach out to embrace her. She immediately flung her energy up as a protection but some of the coldness seeped in and around her chest, making her scared for what Zane had been experiencing all night long.

She crossed the street and walked over to the house next door instead
of running to Drake’s house. She pretended to knock on the door as she turned her head and studied the house. It was small and cozy looking. It didn’t look like a psychopath lived there at all.

Nobody was peeking out the windows that she could see.
They probably hadn’t expected her to make it to the house that fast. If they were smart, they’d be watching for her. She glanced towards the back of the house and noticed a small basement window with a light on. She walked over to the edge of the porch and jumped over, landing on her feet. She walked quickly to the fence between the houses and vaulted over easily. She stayed close to the side of the house, ignoring the cold darkness and crouched down to peek into the window. She didn’t see anything but bare concrete floors at first. But then she saw a form crumpled in the corner and felt her heart stutter and beat faster.

Zane
! she called out with her mind.

Silence

Sarah sent her energy out of herself and towards the crumpled figure, enveloping the body with all the warmth and energy she had to give. The form shuddered and moved slightly. She heard a door slam somewhere in the house and straightened up. She felt rage pour through her at what her aunt Lena and Drake were willing to do to use her. They had hurt Zane and they were going to pay.

She glanced down at the crumpled form still huddled in the corner and tried one last time.

Zane
! she called out with her mind again.

Saaaaarr
, she heard as a very faint whisper that barely touched the edges of her mind.

Sarah swallowed her panic and turned to sprint around the house.
She bounded up the front steps and pounded loudly on the front door with both fists.

“Lena!” she screamed as loud as she could, her energy rushing through her blood stream like a train.

“Lena!” she screamed again and kicked the door over and over again, denting the metal and scratching the red paint.

The door opened slowly and carefully revealing Drake standing before her, smiling exultantly.

“We knew you’d come. When Lena told me about how willing you and your mother were to throw your sorry lives away for men, I knew our only chance with you would be using the boy. Sorry it had to come to this Sarah, but you left us no choice. Come in my dear, come in. If you only knew how long I’ve been waiting for this,” Drake said with a grin and a swagger as he opened the door wide for her to walk past.

Sarah felt her rage build higher and higher and her energy flash down her back and through her fingers.

She calmed her expression and walked through the doors but then shocked them both when she threw herself on Drake, grabbing his neck and sending waves of energy through her hands into his body.

His cocky expression faded to horror as his body started to shake and he started drooling.

“Let him go Sarah or you’ll never see your boyfriend alive again. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to get your cooperation Sarah.
Let him go!”
Lena screamed.

Sarah dropped Drake and turned to her aunt who smiled cruelly at her.
“I knew you’d do anything for a boy. The first cute boy to smile at you and you give up the chance of a life time. You’d do anything for him, wouldn’t you? You’re so like your mom you make me sick. Now, do everything I tell you and I’ll make sure your boyfriend gets home safe and sound. If you refuse? Then his fate is on your head.”

Sarah felt a new rush of power rip through her body and felt more than heard the light bulbs explode through
out the hallway and family room.

Lena winced and turned to look at the shattered glass across the floor.
She looked uncertain for a moment and then looked to Drake for help, but he was huddled on the floor whimpering and twitching uncontrollably.

“Do that again and I’ll make sure the boy is missing a few fingers before he comes back.”

Sarah ground her teeth and thought of her aunt hurting Zane and shuddered. “Just for the record, you’re the one throwing your life away over a man. Not me. Do you really think you’re above the law Lena? Last time I checked, kidnapping and torture were enough to get you thrown in jail for a few decades.”

Lena glared at her and put her hands on her hips.
“As soon as the ceremony is done, I’ll be gone and you’ll never see me again. They won’t be able to find us. Drake has already made plans for us. We’re leaving within the hour.”

Sarah felt Zane whisper something in her mind, but it was too faint to understand.
She couldn’t waste any more time.

She looked at her aunt sadly but then gathered her energy and sent it shooting out towards her aunt, letting it shatter against her chest.

Lena flew back as if she’d been hit by a car, gasping and looking surprised for a moment before closing her eyes and collapsing onto the floor. Lena lay twitching on the ground, unconscious, pale and immobile.

Sarah stared at the two bodies lying on either side of her and felt the TV screen explode in the next room followed by all the glasses in the kitchen.
The noise was deafening and violent. The front windows cracked in a cacophony of sound that had her jumping. She looked frantically around and hurried down the hallway looking for the basement entrance.

She found it next to the kitchen and ran down the stairs as fast as she could move.
The light bulb overhead exploded immediately as she rushed by leaving only the light from the windows to guide her.

She jumped down the last two steps and flew to the corner she had seen from the window.
The form lying under the blanket moved suddenly and a woman sat up, grinning at her and holding a gun.

“We knew you’d try to pull something,” she said and stood up slowly as if her knees hurt.

Sarah gasped in shock and surprise, looking around as she felt a presence move behind her. She turned and saw the other woman who was a regular at her aunt’s meetings.

“Looks like
it’s just you and me, Venus,” the woman said, also holding a gun on Sarah.

“Yeah, Lena thought Drake needed back up. Looks like they both did.
But we’re not playing around anymore Sarah. I’m more than happy to shoot you right now if you don’t put your hands behind your head and walk right back up those stairs. We’re getting in a van and going for a little drive. Forget Drake and Lena. We can do the ceremony ourselves,” she said in a high excited voice looking over Sarah’s shoulder at Venus.

Venus gasped in pleasure. “I would love that Delilah. Drake always got on my nerves anyways and Lena’s just a fool.
The only good she’s ever done was tell us about her niece. Come on. Move it,” she ordered pushing the gun against Sarah’s head, bruising her and moving her back towards the stairs.

Sarah glanced quickly around the basement but didn’t feel any other people there.
Where was Zane?
she wondered. She didn’t want to hurt any more people until she knew where he was. She needed answers.

“So, if Zane isn’t here, where is he?” she asked as she walked slowly up the stairs, hating the crunching sound of the fragile glass under her shoes.

The woman named Venus pushed her with her hand, making her stumble and fall on the stairs. The glass covering the old wooden steps immediately sliced her hands and she cried out in pain.

“Don’t worry about him.
He’s fine. You’re the only one we’re interested in.”

Sarah slowly stood up, feeling pain tear up her nerve endings, making the power stretch and snap within her.
If she didn’t find a release for all the power whipping through her system soon, she honestly didn’t know what would happen. She felt like she might disintegrate. Her hair was coiling tighter and the t-shirt she was wearing was starting to fade in color as the electricity was almost burning it. She reached down to wipe some of the blood off her hands and felt the glass that had been imbedded in her hands fall out. She stared down at her bloody hands and saw the cuts and lacerations had already started to heal.

The woman Delilah opened the basement door into the kitchen and walked quickly through the hallway and into the family room where she stopped in shock as she saw Drake and Lena still prone on the floor, their chins covered with spit and strange red spots all over their
faces. Lena’s eyes were closed, but Drakes’ were wide open staring at the ceiling as he continued to twitch.

“Venus! Look at them.
What did you do
?” Delilah asked, stepping back from Sarah and raising her gun, with hands that were now shaking.

Venus rushed to Lena’s side and felt for a pulse.
“She’s alive and breathing. What kind of girl would hurt her own aunt?” she asked in disgust raising her gun to point at Sarah’s head too.

Sarah felt the power literally dripping off her fingers as she started to shake.
“What kind of aunt would want to hurt her niece is the real question?”

Delilah lifted her head and sneered at her.
“You should be grateful for all Lena’s done for you throughout the years. She’s given you a home to live in and all she asked in return was a little blood, hair and a few words. We should kill you right now,” she said, her finger shaking on the gun.

Sarah closed her eyes to send all the energy from her bo
dy out at the same time. She’d have to send it in two different directions at once, or she’d be dead. She’d never attempted anything like it before and didn’t even know if it was possible.

“Delilah
no
! If you kill her, she’s useless. She has to say the words willingly or it won’t work. She can’t speak if she’s not breathing.”

Delilah lowered her gun slightly as she looked at Venus.
“But . . . .,”

She never finished her sentence.
Her words died as a man walked up behind her and grabbed her by the throat.

“Put the guns down both of you right now,” he said, his voice gravelly and old sounding.

She felt Venus jump to the side as she lifted her gun to get a good shot at the intruder.

The man held up his hand and Venus crumpled as her foot left the ground.
The gun fell uselessly to the ground, leaving silence except for Delilah’s gasps of breath.

“Please.
Please let me go,” she begged, clawing at the man’s hands grasping her neck tightly.

Sarah moved slowly back from the pair, until a wall met her back.
She stared at the man and knew immediately who it was. Race Livingston. He looked at her and met her gaze with the same green eyes she had. Race glanced at the back of Delilah’s head and she crumpled without him even moving his hand or saying anything. He let go and ended up with her gun in his hand before her body could even hit the floor, landing right next to Drake’s body.

Sarah groaned and covered her face with her hands.
“I wasn’t able to find out where Zane is! I was going to try and get information out of them, but you’ve ruined it,” she said accusingly flexing her fingers.

Race looked irritated for a second and then looked away.
“They lied then.”

Sarah clasped her shaking arms around her middle and glared at the man who might be her father.
“Yeah, shocking. Now what are we going to do? Did you kill them?”

Race leaned over Delilah and picked her up as if she were a rag doll.
She weighed at least 170 pounds. He whispered something low and rusty into the woman’s face and her eyes popped open eerily.

“Where’s the boy? Where is Zane Miner?” he demanded as her eyes opened unnaturally wide.

Delilah whimpered and tried to speak. Race whispered another word and the woman contorted in pain, gasping and crying out for him to stop. Sarah grimaced in disgust and eased away from the wall just in case she could hear something of value
“I’ll give you one more chance and then this young girl here is going to turn you into a vegetable.
She’s about to explode with energy. Better you than me. Where is the boy?” he asked, shaking her this time, making her head snap back and forth. She raised her head and looked at Race and whispered a word. “
Forest.

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