Enchant the Night - Amanda Ashley Page 0,87
rest of them?”
“Scattered around the country, waiting to be called.”
“And the witch?”
“She doesn’t live with us.”
“How many wards surround the place?”
“Just one, to shield our presence.”
“That’s all?” Quill asked skeptically.
“Yes.”
“Where does the witch live?”
“I don’t know.”
“What’s her name?”
“I don’t know. Only the Elder Knight is privy to that information.”
Quill considered what the Knight had told him. After throwing the medallions and weapons he had taken from the dead Knights into the fireplace, he went to sit beside Callie.
“Is he telling the truth?” she asked.
“Without his medallion, he doesn’t have the strength to resist my compulsion.”
“So, what are we going to do now?”
“I’m going to South Dakota.”
“Not without me, you aren’t.”
“Yeah, I thought you might want to come along.”
Callie jerked her chin toward the Knights. Both stared back at her in mute appeal. “What are we going to do with these two? We can’t just leave them here.”
“You’re going to call the police and have them arrested for breaking and entering.”
* * *
Forty minutes later, Callie watched as two police officers hustled the Knights into the back seat of a patrol car. Quill had freed them from his control when the patrol car arrived. At first, she had worried that the Knights might try to convince the officers that Quill was a vampire but after thinking it over, she realized they probably kept quiet because such an accusation would make them sound insane.
After they’d gone, Quill told her the Knights were sworn never to reveal the Brotherhood or mention the existence of vampires to mortals.
“So, what’s the plan?” Callie asked.
“Tomorrow we’re heading for the Black Hills, so find yourself a pair of sturdy boots and some warm clothes. And get a good night’s sleep.”
* * *
Quill woke late in the afternoon. Clad in boots, jeans, and a black T-shirt, he waited while Callie slipped into her warmest jacket, tucked a pair of fur-lined gloves in one pocket and her wand in another. “Are you ready?”
At her nod, he put his arm around her. She closed her eyes as the world fell away into darkness, her stomach churning as they sped through time and space.
When her head stopped spinning, they were standing in the midst of a forest of ponderosa pines. “I’ve often wondered why they call this place the Black Hills,” Callie said. “The trees aren’t black.”
“No, but they look that way from a distance. Hence, the name.”
“Are there bears up here?” she asked, glancing around.
“I don’t think so. They’re pretty scarce in these parts. You’re more likely to see a mountain lion or two.”
“That’s comforting.”
“Like I told you before, predators won’t come near me. And probably not you, either, witchy woman.”
“So, what do we do now?”
“Concentrate. The witch can shield the place from view, but one of us should be able to sense any magical residue in the area.”
Callie stood with her back to the setting sun, her arms at her sides, her eyes closed as she summoned her power.
Quill stood beside her, thinking that, with the sun still above the horizon, her ability to sense any magical influence was probably stronger than his.
She proved it a moment later. “That way,” she said, pointing toward the west. “The signature is faint but steady.”
Nodding, he said, “I’ll follow you.”
It was slow going. The trees were thick, the ground uneven and littered with broken branches and rocks. The air was cool this high up, and she pulled on her gloves as she walked. It was quiet in the heart of the forest, with only the sighing of the wind through the trees and the sound of their footsteps to mar the stillness.
She smiled as a red squirrel darted across her path and scurried up a tree.
As they climbed higher, the magic grew stronger. It raised the hair along her arms, caused her stomach to clench.
She came to an abrupt halt when the spell slammed into her.
“What is it?” Quill asked.
“We’re here.”
“Can you undo the wards?”
“I think so.” Pulling the wand from her pocket, Callie closed her eyes and summoned her own magic. It came at her call, swaddling her in paranormal power. Extending her arm, she began to chant softly. She felt her magic push against that of the other witch, felt the other witch’s magic push back.
Raising her voice, she continued to chant, the words coming stronger and faster as she felt the other witch’s enchantment weaken and then melt away.
As it did so, a large cavern appeared before them. Tall pines stood on both sides of the cave’s mouth.
And standing