Anathema (Causal Enchantment #1)(86)

Sofie nodded. She remained quiet for a moment, her eyes focused on the cobblestone path. “I’m going to tell you something but you absolutely must promise me, first, that you’ll do as I ask, okay?”

“Yeah, sure, I guess.”

“Promise. Pinky swear.” She held out her slender pinky finger.

I hesitated. The pinky swear was ironclad and uncompromising, an unbreakable pledge. It had been a tradition between my mother and me—one I wouldn’t tarnish frivolously. But my gut—as blind as it was—told me this wasn’t such a case. “Swear,” I agreed, hooking my finger around hers, a wave of warm and fuzzy running through me.

Sofie nodded, then said, “When you get to Ratheus tonight, take a closer look at the statue. At the woman’s hand. I have a feeling … Well, anyway, take a look.”

“Okay,” I said, frowning. “That’s what I had to pinky swear to?”

“No.” She shook her head. “You have to promise you won’t do anything yet.”

My eyes widened. Did she think that was the portal? “But—”

“No,” she quickly interrupted. “I’m not ready to release Veronique yet.”

I frowned. “I don’t get it. I thought that spell was already cast and you just had to complete it.”

“In theory, yes. However, there is one … complication that I’m still figuring out. Hocus–pocus stuff,” she said, waving her hand dismissively.

My frown deepened. “But what if I run out of time and I can’t come back or I die, like you said?”

“You’ve got some more time,” she answered, winking.

“But what if—”

“No! You promised,” Sofie reminded me sternly.

I nodded, grimacing. I looked around for Viggo and Mortimer again before whispering, “Sofie, they think I’m coming back with vampires next time. What happens when I don’t?”

“You let me worry about that.” She patted my knee gently.

That night, I wasn’t traveling to Ratheus with a giant bag of supplies strapped to my body. I wasn’t traveling there with fear of Rachel. I was traveling there for Caden, to see his smiling face, to cling to him tightly, and to tell him that I loved him.

Complete darkness met me. I waited quietly. Someone always came to meet me within seconds. Not this time, though.

“Caden?” I called out. Silence. “Caden? Amelie?” I called again, louder, my voice unsteady. Maybe they’re all out hunting. I took a few cautious steps forward, my hands groping the obscurity in search of a cave wall.

My fingertips grazed something solid. It wasn’t stone. I poked and prodded it. It had some give. Like hard, muscular flesh.

My hand recoiled. “Guys? This isn’t funny. Come on, please light a torch,” I called, my voice shaky. “Or bring me my flashlight.”

Soft laughter. Someone was trying hard and failing to contain glee. More snickers and titters joined the first.

“Caden?” I whispered, my eyes darting about the dark in vain. I heard flint striking rock and a flame erupting behind me. A wave of relief washed over me. I turned.

Rachel stood five feet away from me, Merth free, her sadistic, lemon–yellow eyes dancing with excitement.

23. The Council

I stared in horror as Rachel’s lips pulled back in a heinous smile, revealing perfectly symmetrical white fangs.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she purred, casually taking a step forward.

Every muscle in my body went cold and rigid as terror gripped me. My mouth dropped open to scream but only a pathetic, strangled gasp escaped.

Cackling viciously, Rachel took another step to stop within arm’s reach. With wide eyes, I watched as her arm extended slowly and she gripped my chin in her hand, her thumb and forefinger clenching either side of my jaw. With no visible sign of exertion, she lifted me up off the ground. Her hold tightened, eventually bringing tears to my eyes. Still she squeezed, ready to crumble my bones to dust.

“Alright, that’s enough,” a male voice softly chided.

After a long pause and a low growl of displeasure, Rachel released her grip. I dropped to the vine–covered ground.

An army of torches lit the area around us then, the warm glow revealing a hollow, decaying room at least three stories high. There were gaping holes where windows and a ceiling likely once existed; the stone walls had crumbling heaps of stone at their bases. Thick roots heaved the concrete floor, and assorted vines and weeds had found homes within the fissures. At one end sat a large, rectangular stone on a raised dais. An altar, perhaps.

I barely noticed any of this, though, my attention riveted on the group of alluring onlookers surrounding me. Vampires.

Somehow feeling returned to my legs and my feet started sliding backward, trying in vain to get away from Rachel’s poisonous gaze, even though I knew it was pointless. I backed into something. Or someone. Holding my breath, I slowly turned.

Piercing white irises gazed back at me.

This time when my mouth opened, an earsplitting shriek escaped.

“Calm down,” the vampire mutant requested, cringing. It was too late for that, though. I was shaking uncontrollably. My eyes darted to his long, skeletal fingers as they reached for my shoulder. I flinched under the bone–chilling temperature of his skin, so unlike Caden’s warmth. He retracted it, instead raising both hands up in front of him, palms out, in a gesture of peace. “We won’t hurt you. Look! Over there—your friends are right over there.”