Bound by Blood (The Garner Witch Series) (31 page)

“Well aren’t you full of surprises.” Her words were snide. Then she raised her gun, only this time she slammed it into my face. The pain exploded around the side of my head right before I finally succumbed to the darkness. As unconsciousness finally swallowed me, I glanced at Morrison. His haunted gaze met mine, both of us understanding this was the last time we were going to see each other.

***

The agonizing thump in my head was the first thing that brought me back to consciousness, the painful throbbing pushing at the darkness. Dazed, I wasn’t sure what was happening. Attempting to move, my arms refused to budge. I was trapped. I heard a rattling of metal as I struggled and slowly pried my eyes open to take in my surroundings. My vision was blurry at first, but I could see that it was still daylight, though judging by the pale purple glow coming from outside it was nearing dusk. I pulled at my arms again and looked up to see what I was caught on. That’s when confusion edged over to full out terror. Chains wrapped around my arms and legs, cutting painfully into my skin. By the looks of the bruises on my wrists and the burning in my arms, I had been hanging here for a while.

I was in a dilapidated barn, the chains secured at the other end with a thick metal loop screwed into some wooden beams. Frantically, I struggled to free myself of the chains but they were fixed firmly. Whoever had shackled me fastened them to keep me immobile, but still standing.

I tried to relieve some of the pressure in my arms by putting more weight on my legs, but I didn’t have the strength, my limbs felt as though they were made out of jelly. I tried to remember what happened, but my mind was jumbled and it was difficult to grasp onto a coherent memory. The last thing I could recall was Nathan going to get Hayley. Wait, I remember reviewing the security videos with Morrison.

“Oh god, Morrison!” I gasped.

Now I remembered in horrific clarity what I’d been forgetting. Morrison had lain, bleeding on the ground the last time I saw him, his throat cut by Lisa Benet. It happened late morning. Glancing at the purpling sky through the slit of the barn door, I saw that it was already evening. I choked down a sob as I realized he was long dead. It would’ve been impossible for him to survive a wound like that, even if he’d had help. But he didn’t get help. I lost consciousness before I could dial 911. Tears trailed down my cheeks and my heart clenched with grief as guilt filled me for letting Morrison down.

I knew something was off with Lisa, the level of animosity and hatred she aimed at me was beyond normal. I should’ve never let my guard down. I knew she was jealous of Nathan and me together, but I never dreamed in my worst nightmare she’d go this far to hurt me. I became aware of an almost imperceptible rustling behind me, and at the same time I felt a prick in my neck. Lisa circled around me eying my bound arms and legs with a terrifying sneer of pure evil pleasure

“Don’t worry Brianna. It’s just a cocktail of psychiatric drugs to prevent you from being able to concentrate. You’ll still be awake and aware, I want you to feel everything, but I don’t want you using your powers again.” God, she was sick. Her voice was chilling and she was grinning.

“What the hell are you doing Lisa?” I spit out at her. I could still sense her emotions, though I couldn’t transfer anything into her. It took a tremendous amount of concentration to use my psychic abilities as an offensive weapon, but I just couldn’t focus my thoughts enough with whatever she shot into my blood and was now pumping through my veins.

“What does it look like I’m doing you silly girl. I’m chaining you up and then I’m going to watch you suffer.” She answered, smugly.

“You know, even if you kill me he’ll never love you.”

“What nonsense are mumbling about?” she barked impatiently.

“Nathan, he will never love you.”

She startled me by laughing, not a slight chuckle, but a full out, deep, rumbling laugh. “Is that what you think this is about? You think I want your boyfriend?” her voice was edged with amusement.

“Well...yes.” I answered tentatively. Her reaction was not what I expected and I was beginning to doubt my earlier assumption. “You hate me. And that hatred is based on jealously I can feel it,” no point in hiding the fact that I was empathic now, the cat was definitely out of the bag on that one. “And since we’ve never met before, I assumed it was because you were in love with Nathan.”

“I don’t want your boyfriend you idiot! I have absolutely no interest in that man.”

“Then what the hell is this all about, and why do you hate me so much? What have I ever done to you?” It was difficult to appear indifferent and calm while chained to a wall, but I was trying.

“You were born, that’s what you did?” she was seething now.

“Huh?”

“How about this for a reason—you stole our father from me.” She spat ferociously.

“
Our
father?” Now I was really confused. “What do you mean
our
father?”

“What do you think I mean? James Burke, our father. Although I knew him as James Benet before he changed his name and went into hiding to protect you. Never mind the fact that he had another daughter. Never mind that he chose one daughter over another and just forgot he had another child. I’ve hated you since the day you were born.”

Oh. My. God. “You’re my…sister?”

“Yes. I’m your sister.”

“He never told me I had a sister. Why?” Emotions swirled riotously inside me.

“We have different mothers. Our father was married to my mother before he met yours, they separated, but he was always a part of my life. He was a wonderful father. Then right about the time my mother and father were going to get back together, he met your slutty, witch of a mother and she cast a love spell on him to steal him away.”

I snorted in disbelief, “You think my mother cast a spell on him? They fell in love. Besides, you already said your parents were divorced.”

“Well they would’ve gotten back together if he hadn’t met her. Then he had you and I stood back and watched him praise over his new daughter forgetting all about me. I suppose I should just be thankful right, at least I had him for thirteen years.” She said sarcastically.

“You couldn’t have been thirteen, you’re my age.” I countered.

“Tsk...tsk...tsk...Brianna, for someone who spent the last few months hunting a vampire you sure don’t know much about them. For instance, did you know if you ingest vampire blood, your body repairs all signs of aging and returns you to your peak physical age? I’m forty one years old.” She revealed.

“Where did you get vampire blood?” I already knew the answer, but I needed to hear her say it.

“You haven’t figured it out yet? Haven’t you wondered how he found your cousins?” She let the unanswered question dangle in the air between us.

“Why? They were innocent, and we’re sisters.” I muttered through clenched teeth.

“Innocent? Riiight.” She drawled snidely.  “Your mother was not innocent. She knew exactly what she was doing when she stole my dad away from my mom. Then
you
took him away from me when he left to protect you. As for the rest of the witches in your family, they’re all the same, selfish, every last one of them. They would’ve wrecked other families given the chance, so I stopped them before they could.”

This woman was seriously unglued.

“I know my dad, he was intensely protective. If he left you behind it wasn’t because he didn’t love you. Leaving a child would’ve killed him. He had to have believed it was the only way to protect you. There was a killer hunting my family, Lisa. I was involved by birth, but he would have wanted to keep you safe, as far away from the danger as possible.” I defended my dad. I was pissed at him right now, but I also knew he was
fiercely
protective of those he loved.

“A lot of good that did, he still found me. He would’ve killed me to, trying to find you. I was nothing but a means to an end to him—at first. That is, until he found out how much I hated you. I offered to help him locate every surviving Garner and wipe out the lot of you.” A grin tugged at the side of her mouth.

Okay, she was officially crazy. No point in trying to argue logic with the crazy twit.

“So what’s the plan now Lisa. You just gonna keep me hangin’ around all night chit chatting.” I curved a mocking brow at her.

“That was sort of the plan, yes. I’m just waiting for my associate. You see, he’s unable to meet with us until the sun sets. I can’t wait for you to meet him, I promised him that I wouldn’t touch you until he arrives, but I think he’s going to let me in on some of the fun this time. I was there, you see, for that woman last week. It’s really too bad we hadn’t found Hayley by then, so we had to settle for a stranger, but don’t worry we’ll get to Hayley after we’re done with you.”

“You’re sick, you know that.” Venom dripped from my words.

She chuckled, a low menacing sound, “You know I think you might be right—Abandonment issues.” She shrugged. “But I do so enjoy it.”

An eerie silence settled between us. I’d heard all I needed to hear from Lisa Benet. Besides, I needed time to process what she’d just told me, I was still reeling from discovering that I had a sister. Although, I don’t know why that would surprise me now, after everything else my father hid from me. I wonder if I ever really knew him at all.

Continuously, my mind played over everything I learned. While I thought, I managed to look around at my surroundings to see if there was anything I could use to escape.

“Don’t even bother.” She said as if she were bored. “You won’t get out of those chains, and now that I know about your powers, you will not have the chance to use them again. And don’t think anyone is going to run to your rescue, you are so far out in the middle of nowhere that no one will hear you scream.”

The first shiver of true fear jolted through my body at her words. Morrison was probably dead, and even if Nathan were back by now, he would never find me. To top it all off, whatever drug they gave me was making it impossible to use my powers. I was screwed.

I noticed that it had become visibly darker outside, and I think the sun may have gone down completely. Judging by the eager expression on Lisa’s face, I knew that it was only a matter of minutes before our mystery guest appeared. This was the moment I was waiting for. I was finally going to come face to face with the man who murdered my mother, only I would be tied up and completely at his mercy. Not at all how I envisioned our first meeting.

My thoughts turned to Nathan, he would be distraught when he discovered I was missing and would probably blame himself. He would be wrong though. How could he have anticipated the killer having an accomplice? We erringly thought we were safe during the day, it wasn’t Nathan’s fault, but I knew he wouldn’t see it that way.

My heart tightened at the thought of never seeing him again. At that moment I realized I loved him, and no matter if this were the last day of my life, I would never regret meeting and falling in love with him. The thing that pissed me off though, was with Morrison dead, Nathan would have no idea that Lisa had betrayed him.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of crunching gravel as a car approached. Lisa jumped up in anticipation, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the killer. I heard the car door slam and the slow approach of footsteps to the barn. When the door swung open I was instantly flooded with a feeling of relief. I didn’t recognize in front of me, but I recognized the khaki pants and navy blue polo shirt with the Donovan Security logo. It was one of Nathan’s bodyguards. He must have followed Lisa when she brought me here.

Relief quickly morphed to betrayal, and then fear, as I saw him approach Lisa with a broad smile. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her passionately and my hopes of a rescue were thwarted as I realized
he
was the killer. He’d been right under our noses the whole time. “I knew I could count on you, baby.” Though he used an endearment, there was nothing sweet about this man. He was a cold as ice—I saw it in his eyes.

He kissed her again before turning to me with sweet smile. “Hello Brianna, it’s nice to finally meet you in person. My name is John.”

Chapter 22

“Hello John. I’d say it’s nice to meet you too, but I’d be lying through my teeth you sadistic son of a bitch.” I spat, fiercely. My body trembled. Not from fear, I was pissed.

Although he smiled, his attitude was acrimonious. The hostile air swirled around him like a dense cloud, anger and bitterness so tangible I could practically taste it. Obviously, one facet of my power was still intact. It took no effort at all to sense his emotions, it happened automatically. I thought about that. Since I was still able to read his emotions, perhaps I could surprise him with an offensive attack. Debilitate him long enough to escape. I pressed out with everything in me, but whatever drug Lisa pumped into me made it difficult to form focused thoughts. Everything in my head was cloudy and scattered.

Mockingly, he chuckled at my livid expression. “I can feel what you’re trying to do Brianna.” Before I could anticipate the blow, he stepped back and brought the back of his hand into my face with a striking crack of his fist. His preternatural strength made it feel like I was struck with a baseball bat. Intense pain exploded through my skull. I would not give him the satisfaction of showing fear, and I
refused
to cry out in pain. When I raised my eyes to meet his, he suddenly dropped the guards he’d been using to block his power at the crime scenes. Evil power flooded me, it was more diluted now without the stolen power, but hideous all the same.

“You’re tough.” Stroking his finger along my chin, he leaned so close his scent made my stomach churn. “It will be fun to break you, and believe me I
will
break you.”

“You saw that woman I killed.” He whispered in my ear and I shivered with revulsion as his breath touched on my neck. “She begged for me to kill her, and you will too. But I won’t kill you. Not until I get what I want from you.”

Now it was my turn to laugh. “You’ll never get what you want from me so you might as well kill me now.”