in a vague, half-conscious way, that the magic was taking its toll. Not much longer and she would be dead.
Sighing, James leant back with his hands behind his head.
“So tell me, oh great and wise one, where is my miracle?” He glanced at the darkened corner and Emma stepped towards him, never taking her eyes away.
“If she’s no good, why don’t you just kill her?” She moved over to the bed. He saw the knife and, with the speed of the wolf he was, he got her neck in his grasp. He had his answer. Katie White was not the girl who was about to change his destiny.
“I’ve no intention of killing the girl. I suggest you put the knife away. You promised me something and if you don’t deliver very soon, this neck will be snapped,” he growled, applying pressure before he released her.
He sat by the girl, stroking her hair away from her head.
“None of the wolves reacted to her?” Emma croaked, still sticking with her lies.
“Not one. She’s not what you said she was,” he accused.
Emma shrugged, her eyes flashing fire. “The funny things about spells and prophecies, is the wording—very tricky, wording,” she complained, her hands on her hips.
“Excuses—so many excuses. I want the one who will bond together the wolves and the vampires. I want them brought to their knees,” he yelled. He grabbed hold of her by her arms and shook her. “You promised me this was my time. I killed for you because of your promises.”
“I always deliver,” Emma said, trying to soothe his worries. Then, “Are we going to kill the girl?” Excitement and anticipation lit her eyes.
James glanced at the sleeping girl, wondering why Emma wanted her dead so badly.
“No. A witch will always come in handy. Anyway, it doesn’t look like she’s got long left.”
Katie watched from beneath lowered lashes. Who was the woman and what the hell were they talking about?
The sedatives were lasting for shorter periods each time they injected her. She was shaking from the use of her magic. While she was weak, every time she used her abilities she had withdrawal effects.
After a while they carried her through the darkened corridor, through the locked security doors, until they got to her cage. Strange that they hadn’t used her in the same way as before. She really must be close to losing everything.
They dumped her on the bed, escaping quickly before she threw a fire bolt, or whatever it was that came out of her hands.
She watched them leave, glancing at the other prisoners as they went.
“Hey, witch. You okay?” Katie turned to the cell opposite. The occupant looked human, like her.
Katie nodded but refused to say a word.
“That’s good.”
She put her back to the bars, staring at her small square of space—the tight, trapped space.
“Does anyone know what their plan is?”
This was when the other prisoners talked amongst themselves, discussing some sort of plan James and his crew had.
She couldn’t care less. She wouldn’t live to see it. It was becoming clearer every day that she was not needed.
“Rumour is, the Beyer West pack are trying to take over other areas. They annihilated all the witches, and now they’re picking their way through everyone else. Demons, other wolves—even humans.” She heard this from the guy three cells down from her.
“They must have failed with the witches. I mean she’s still breathing.” It felt as though curious eyes were boring into her back.
“She’s special, apparently.” She heard the sneer in the voice.
Great—from caring one moment to sneering the next. A wonderful band of friends she had.
“I heard they took on the Valentines.”
Katie whirled in her cage, going to the bars.
“What’s the matter, witch?” one of the prisoners said.
“I was there when they came to the vampire council. That man, James—he killed their leader.”
Silence descended on the room.
The hairs on Katie’s arms stood on end.
“When was this?”
“The same night I was taken. I was taken before the council by William Valentine,” she told the group.
A morose, morbid feeling filled the room.
“If they’ve got to the Valentines, it will only be a matter of time before the pack controls everything,” the man across from her said to the group.
They all nodded in agreement.
Katie didn’t believe it. She couldn’t. From what she remembered, Robert and William wouldn’t let that happen.
She moved away from the bars, going back to the bed. The sheets were wrinkled and dirty from her weeks of captivity. She thought of everything she’d heard while lying there.