Saved by the Spell (Anna Wolfe Series, Book #2) (5 page)

“Fath
er, I present to you Anna Wolfe…
the
Grand Witch,” Micah states proudly.

I snort at his statement. Nothing irks me more than an ignorant kiss-up. I raise my head, meeting Lucifer’s stony eyes. He lowers himself onto his tacky throne with a smug expression. Muted hushes and whispers erupt from the mixed crowd, visibly shocked to hear what I am.

“Silence!” Lucifer booms, slamming his huge fist on the chair’s arm. I must have jumped three feet, startled by his outburst. After a few seconds, he regains his composure. “My, what a beautiful woman.” He rolls his chunky tongue across his lips like he’s ready to chow down on a T-bone steak.

I quiver, watching him undress me with his eyes. What is it with these men? I’m far from a supermodel and yet
I keep receiving attention like I own the looks of one. I don’t like it, and I surely don’t find it flattering, not one bit.

“
Father, Anna is the key in finding the
Book of Imperium
. I believe her powers will be able to pinpoint its location and The Scholars as well. It has taken us centuries of wasted resources to find them and the book,” Micah adds, speaking quickly with excitement. “Anna is the key!”

“
Ah, a Grand Witch you proclaim?” he replies, staring at me hard. “She looks to me like a measly human, fearfully displaced,” Lucifer adds dismissively. “My son, this is a serious charge, one in which you will be held accountable if you're wrong,” he finishes, narrowing his eyes at him.

Micah shifts uncomfortably. “
Father, I've seen and felt her powers. I know what she is,” he stammers. “She has great, untapped capabilities... after all, she’s been under the watch of Valen and Roman.”

Lucifer's face crinkles in
irritation at the mention of their names. “Really?” He rubs his pointy chin, figuring out the importance of my two bodyguards. “My, my... the attentions of Valen? You must be worth something then,” he snickers.

I guess I missed the joke. I roll my eyes at his dog and pony show, hoping I’ll be
tossed back into my cage and left alone.

Lucifer grunts. “
If you believe this human is a Grand Witch, then you have my blessing to do whatever you see fit.”

His repulsive sneer causes me to grimace.
Do whatever he sees fit?
I've never hated a sentence so much in my life.

“Thank you, father.”
Micah beams at his father’s approval.

With that, he slides his hand under my arm,
forcibly lifting me up. My knees throb in pain at the swift movement and lack of physical acclimation. He pushes me towards the back of the room, past the scrutiny of countless judgmental eyes. I stand straighter, focusing my gaze on the rear wall. The twins lower their heads as if they’re mortified at what is yet to come. Who wouldn't be down here?

“
Anna, stay quiet. Don't give them any reason to harm you more than they need to
,
”
Hannah says as she slowly lifts her chin to look at me.

“
Thanks,”
I reply, although her request has fallen on deaf ears. Not only will I challenge him, I'm going to kill him at the first opportunity. Micah escorts me through the shadowy tunnel like a ghost. The echoes of voices and people slowly dissipate the further we go. A sudden feeling of desolation overtakes me, allowing my mind to run wild. Images of Valen pop into my head, threatening to consume me. I continually try to keep him and my life so far out of my thoughts that they react by treading back in with vengeance. Tears well in my eyes, and I swallow them down, but with difficulty. I refuse to allow Micah the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

We continue walking, and he makes a right down an unfamiliar passageway. My heart begins racing at the very thought of where he could be taking me. He stops in front of a wood-paneled door. I can feel the heavy magic pulsating off it like a heartbeat. Micah drops his hand in his pocket, fishing around for something. When he withdraws it, I spot a fat, metal key resting on his palm. He slides it through the lock, and after one turn
, he unlocks it with an audible click. Instantly, the magic disappears and the door opens.

“
Here we are, love,” Micah boasts, pushing me into a miniature, dank room designed for a hobbit. “Welcome to your new home for the time being.”

I wrap my arms around my chest defensively
, as I step further into the room. He smiles graciously before slamming the door behind me. An audible clunk resounds in the little space, locking me inside. I survey my skimpy room. A row of steel bars are to my left, and behind them sits another cell draped in murkiness. I cringe, imagining the horrible cellmate I might end up with. At least we have the separation of steel. To my right is a decrepit cot, covered by a pile of linens that remind me of sweat-encrusted rags. I inch my way towards it, fearful of what might be lurking in the shadows.

I carefully lift the top sheet from the mound, watching as it slowly unfolds itself. Turning away, I expect a giant spider or lizard to pop out, but happily find only wrinkles between the sheets. I glance at the bottom of the mattress, noticing a dark stain dominating the left corner. I bend down, inspecting the spot carefully. Loose lines and misplaced circles suggest it was caused by the splattering of some type of liquid. I don't care to dwell on exactly what kind. I shake out the sheet and gently lay it over my new bed. I lower myself onto the edge, placing my head in my hands. The severity of my situation finally hits me like a tsunami, crashing and dragging my thoughts all over my head. Tears fill my eyes, blurring my vision within seconds. I swallow, blinking them away. I study my surroundings, now irrevocably determined to locate an escape route. 

Chapter 4

Janie stretches long and hard. The sun's bright rays slip through the wooden shades, caressing her face with warmth. She blinks a few times, trying to focus on her whereabouts. She remembers falling asleep on the couch, and leans up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She pads into the kitchen to start the morning regimen of coffee brewing before going upstairs for some teeth brushing. Since Anna’s abduction, Kristy and Martello have been shacking up in her room and she hasn't had the heart to kick them out. She insisted upon staying in Anna's room until all of this is over. Besides, she feels closer to her sister there. After completing her morning routine, Janie sits at the kitchen table, mug in hand, sorting through her messy concerns. Valen and Roman aren’t back yet, and she wonders if the number of pledged recruits has changed. Janie recognizes the sound of her bedroom door squeaking open. She glances at the hallway threshold, watching as Martello shuffles in, followed by Kristy close behind.

“Good mornin’ girl,” Martello says, his voice still half asleep.

“Hey,” Janie replies.

Kristy waves before pulling out a mug and filling it to the brim with coffee. They sit at the table, looking
weary and broken.

“Any word from Valen or Roman?” Kristy asks optimistically, sipping her coffee.

“No.” Janie shakes her head. “I’m sure they’ll be back shortly though.”

Martello sighs. “I can’t just keep sittin’
here doin’ nothin’ damn it,” he announces in an unnatural whine. “Girlfriend is missin’ an’ all we’s keep doin’ is sittin’ around, waitin’ for somethin’ to happen.”

Janie tosses him a warm smile. “I know, but what else can we do? We don’t have the capabilities, so to speak, to just charge into the Netherw
orld and demand Anna’s return. We have to be smart about this for her sake.”

Martello stares at Kristy. “Ain’t there somethin’ you could be doin’?” he persists.

Kristy’s eyes widen, knowing where he’s going with this.

“No,” she answers too quickly.

Janie narrows her eyes suspiciously. “What’s he talking about?” She points to Martello.

Kristy remains silent. Martello slices his eyes into her before turning his attention to Janie. “Oh, this one… she real special,” he declares, aiming his thumb at Kristy. “She can see ghosts an’ shit.”

Janie almost chokes on her hastily gulped coffee. “What!?”

Kristy shrugs. “What he said. I can see ghosts,” she repeats.

Janie gapes at her in awe, trying to make sense of her secret. “How long… I mean how?”

Kristy exhales, taking another sip of her coffee before speaking. “Ever since I was a child, I was able to see the dead. I d
on’t know how or why, but I can and I hate it.”

“Wells, we mights be needin’ your powers t
o help find Anna.” Martello arches his eyebrow, raising his mug to his lips.

Kristy glares at him for revealing her secret. What’s worse is his expectation that she would comply. “Do you have any idea what you’re asking me to do?”

“Umm-hmm. I’s expecting you to get over your own fears an’ help us get our girl back,” he responds, unwavering.

“Yeah Kristy, I really don’t see what the problem is. She’s your best friend for crying out loud!”

“Don’t you think I know that?! I love Anna and would do anything to save her, but if I acknowledge just one of the spirits, within hours I could be bombarded with thousands of lost souls begging for my help,” she answers, shifting uncomfortably. “I’ll turn into the Crazy Lady of Savannah overnight!”

Janie’s expression reveals little sympathy. “Kristy, here’s how I see it. We can sit around, wasting time, hoping Anna isn’t being tortured or
doing
things
against her will, or you can talk to a ghost or two, maybe find out where she is or how we can get into that world.”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin or what ghost to talk to, for that matter.”

Janie places her hand over hers. “We’re here to help. Maybe we can take a stroll in town or to Bonaventure Cemetery tomorrow. With any luck, we might find ourselves a suitable ghost.”

Martello snickers, furrowing his brows. “A suitable ghost? Woman, an’ what exactly do a suitable ghost look like? Do’s they wear a suit an
d tie? Maybes a church dress?” he chuckles.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s someone who looks like they’ve been on an
otherworldly plane for a while. They may be able to point us in the right direction, or tell us who we can speak to.”

Kristy shakes her head, clearly not appreciating Janie and Martello’s bizarre suggestions. “Fine, but when this all blows up in our faces, you’re going to help me,” Kristy demands with an annoyed undertone.

The sound of the front door opening prompts Janie, Martello and Kristy to stop mid-discussion. In a flash, Roman and Valen are strutting through the kitchen flawlessly as ever. Janie sinks further into her seat, embarrassed by their good looks. Valen rakes his disorderly dark hair away from his forehead, exposing the icy blue lakes of his irises. Roman studies the crowd before him, immediately aware something isn’t right.

“What did we miss?”

Martello clears his throat. “Girlfriend here,” he says, pointing to Kristy, “is gonna help us find Anna, or at least someone or
somethin’
who can help.”

Roman cocks his eyebrow, intrigued. “And how is she going to do that?”
he asks, crossing his thick arms in front of his burly chest.

“She can see ghosts,” Janie interjects.

Roman and Valen look at one another, clearly surprised by this revelation. “You can see ghosts?” Valen inquires.

Kristy nods her head.

“An’ as you can tell, girlfriend ain’t too happy ‘bout it,” Martello teases.

Roman paces, stroking his chin with expectation. “This is a good starting point. Kristy, please explain your gift to me further,” Roman commands.

Kristy grumbles. “Gift? This is not a gift,” she replies sarcastically. Roman shoots her an impatient look, causing her to clear her throat. “I can see ghosts… I could ever since I was a child. My
gift
,” she snorts, “appeared after my father passed away. Maybe his death opened a door or something. I don’t know how it happened, but it sucks.”

“How
do you identify one?” Roman raises both eyebrows, tacitly encouraging her to elaborate.

“Ghosts
ripple, kind of like when you throw a rock into a lake. Their bodies are that of a normal person, but they are wrinkly. That’s how I know they’re ghosts—some of them are scary too,” she says, studying her hands. “Certain ones look like they were murdered or hurt in some way, while others look just like you and me.”

Valen places his palms on the counter, gently leaning back on his arms. He hoists himself upward until he’s sitting on it. “Your curse might actually come in handy,” Valen smiles at her.

A smirk tugs on her lips. “I don’t see how…”

“I agree.
Certain ghosts know what’s going on between the two worlds since they exist on both planes. These ghosts in particular possess an amazing ability. They can planewalk or travel through different worlds easily,” Roman says. “We call them Planewalkers.”

“What does that even mean? What’s a Planewalker?” Janie questions, attempting to keep up with the never-ending supernatural glossary. 

“It’s a ghost that can travel between the two planes—the Netherworld and here,” Valen says, pointing to the ground.

“Planewalkers are ghosts who were murdered in their human form. This is why they have the ability to live between both worlds. Their spirits are restless because a demon stole them before
it was their time to die.”

“So, the normal folk who die and walk around are just lost?” Janie’s eyes swim in confusion, struggling to understand the difference.

Roman shakes his head. “Ghosts that wander this plane have unfinished business, which has nothing to do with us or the Netherworld. When a demon swipes a human’s soul, the retribution for them is endless travel between here and the Netherworld. Think of it like an all-inclusive vacation, without any perks or fringes.”

Martello sighs dramatically. “Doesn’t sound like much of a consolation prize to me.” He leans back in his chair
, fanning his face with a napkin. “This world of yours seems to keep addin’ more confusion to my reality… it’s too early for this deep shit.”

“Be that as it may,” Roman responds, flicking his wrist, “Kristy’s spiritual gift could help us at least locate Landon. I spoke with Vlad, the head vampire of the Netherworld, and he can’t find a trace of the Shadowalker.”

“Not surprising,” Valen adds sarcastically.

Roman ignores his dig and continues. “The thing is, he’s nearly impossible to find unless he wants to be found; but now, se
eing how Kristy can see ghosts, they might be able to tell us where he is or call on him.”

“What am I supposed to do? Just walk up to a ghost and say ‘Excuse me, sir or madam, would you happen to know where Landon is? He’s a Shadowalker?’”

“That’s exactly what you’re going to do,” Roman answers with no hesitation.

“Why don’t you or Valen go talk to a ghost? I’m sure you can see them too!” Kristy protests desperately.

“We can’t see them. Because they're not fully Netherworlders or humans, only select people have the capability of being able to communicate with them,” Valen answers.

“Select people?”

“Psychics can either predict the future or see ghosts. It looks like you’re the latter.”

Kristy’s expression freezes in horror. “Are you really saying I’m… I’m a psychic?”

Roman shrugs. “We’re not one hundred percent sure, but chances are you’ve won the part.”

Kristy groans, placing her head in her hands.

“Ah, don’t take it so hard!” Roman jokes. “You’re lucky to have this gift.”

Kristy shoots up from her chair, pointing her tiny finger at him. “Lucky? I’m far from lucky! I love Anna and I want to help her, but none of us know what’s going to happen when I start dipping my feet into this shitty, supernatural pool of yours!”

“Listen to me, dear.” Roman strides right up to Kristy until her finger is bending from the force of his solid chest. Pulses of what Kristy assumes is his magic, vibrate the air between them, causing her to shift her weight uncomfortably. “You’re going to help us get Anna back, do you hear me? I don’t care about your petty human feelings or how reluctant you are to employ your gift. Saving Anna is my priority and I will do anything to make sure she’s safely here with us.” His gaze sparks with fury as it rips through her eyes. 

“Roman, enough,” Valen barks, slapping his hand on his chest and pushing him away from her.

Martello rolls his eyes at the never-ending drama as a shocked Kristy retreats to her seat.

“Let me make this clear. Anna’s my priority, as she should be yours. We don’t have the luxury of thinking about ourselves and how our decisions impact our own lives. Got it?”

Valen releases Roman. “Roman’s right, but there are better ways to articulate or enlist the help of others and tyranny isn’t one of them,” he spits, shooting daggers at Roman. Beautiful yellow sparks illuminate his eyes. “We need to focus on Anna and use every means necessary to find and rescue her.”

“Fine,” Kristy agrees.

“Tonight, we’ll go to Bonaventure Cemetery. All of us. There, we will see if we can locate a ghost who might be able to help us,” Roman suggests. “I think I have someone in mind.”

Martello cringes upon hearing the word “cemetery.” “Oh no! I’s not steppin’ foot in that hauntedness. It’s one thing to visit loved ones an’ quite another enterin’ the gates o
f hell, just lookin’ for trouble.”

“You’re going Martello,
especially since you opened your big diva mouth about me.” Kristy’s eyes are hard and unyielding.

Martello doesn’t respond, knowing she’s right. “Well, I best get prepared then,” he says, excusing himself from the table. “If I was you
s, I would too,” he adds, pointing at Janie and Kristy before exiting the room.