Casted (Casted series) (8 page)

“What now?” I asked.

“Right now, we have a man on the inside of the Triad. He’s been there for a number of years. He’s supposed to be looking into why the Triad is back in full force looking for you. My father expected to hear something from him this week. With any luck, we will get an idea of what the reason is and maybe start formulating a plan to fight back. Until then, we have to be on guard and keep you safe.”

“And you? What do you think they want?” I asked

Dagger blew out a breath and looked up at the ceiling as if it held all the answers. “I think he needs you to complete a spell.” He went to the closet and grabbed his boots. He didn’t look up as he pulled them on. “You see, people such as the Triad, they are never happy with the power they have. They crave more and more until they’ve tapped out all their resources and begin to steal others. I’ve read numerous books and have come across some very old journal entries. They are more like storybook fantasies than anything.”

He shook his head and a small grin lifted the side of his mouth. “Anyway, these journal entries speak of spells that were once recorded then destroyed because of the power they contained. In the wrong hands, it could make one person more powerful than anything this world has ever seen.” He stood to look at me and then shrugged.

“I would have written the whole thing off as fiction, if I hadn’t continued reading the journal and found one of those spells myself. Mind you, half the page was missing– burnt off, I believe. But if there is one thing I’m sure of, it’s that there is a book and it is very powerful. And I think you are one of the missing pieces to a very dangerous spell that the book contains.”
“If that’s true, then why did that man leave me to die and not take me directly to the Triad?” I asked.

“It’s simple really. I don’t think the Triad knew of the book. They just wanted you dead because you stood for something they did not believe in. There’s always been a rift between the Triad and the Original Coven, or a war as my father would call it. That’s why the Triad has been hell bent on eliminating the Original Coven, ever since the beginning. It got really bad when your father turned his back on his people to be with your mother, the sworn enemy. The Triad followers were probably told to simply destroy you, once they found out you existed,” he said.

“So how does the book come into play?” I wasn’t sure I followed his line of thinking, but really at this point, we had to look at all the angles.

“Honestly? I think that someone pissed the Triad off really bad and bargained the book for their life. Once the Triad knew what was in that book, well, I bet they were freaking out at the thought that you may in fact be dead.” The small smirk turned into a crooked smile. “So for now we-”

Dagger’s sentence was cut off by an explosion. The ceiling rained down on us. Dagger rushed to the closet and tossed my boots at me. “Quick, put those on. I’m going to make sure the hallway is clear.” He dashed out the door as I forced my shaking hands to tie my laces.

The floor shifted heaving me into the air. I landed half on and half off the bed while the bed frame shimmied across the floor. I pulled myself up onto the mattress and tried to ride out the shockwave. Cracks started spider webbing in the paint and ceiling. It was like the room was being ripped in half. The bed kept rattling around on the floor, bumping into the wall and other furniture like it was looking for a way out. I had to get off the bed and get out of the room.

As soon as the bed started shaking away from the door, I jumped off. My exit was only two feet away, but every time I’d take a step the floor would roll and send me back a couple of feet. I waited for the floor to settle. Then leapt to the door. The bed screeched across the room, coming back at me. My hand connected with the doorknob. I pulled furiously at it, but it wouldn’t open.

I could hear Dagger banging on the outside like he was trying to find a way in. I only had seconds to jump out of the way before the bed frame could pin me to the door. I jumped at the last possible second, but I didn’t make it high enough to clear the footboard. Pain exploded in my legs as the metal crushed me against the door. I fell back onto the bed as it began to move to the far wall.

It slammed against the wall only to back up and slam against it again. On and on the bed bucked wildly until the wall crumbled. I forced myself to get ready to move.

The wall began to crumble. Large chunks of brick flew out into the yard, clearing a path big enough for the bed to get through. I had to make my move before it was too late. I jumped. Pain raced up my spine as my body came to a jarring stop.

I grabbed a heavy brass lamp off the floor and began beating the door knob to try and break it off. The bed had gotten caught on the wall and was rattling and banging its way free. The door knob fell off, clanging to the floor.

“Stand back!” Dagger yelled from the hall.

I moved to the side so that I could slip out the door as soon as it was open. One solid kick and the door came flying inward. Dagger grabbed me, pulling me out. The bed slammed into the doorway where I had just stood.

“Let’s go,” he said as he grabbed my hand and ran down the hall and pulled me off to another section of the house.

Julie came careening down the opposite hallway as debris rained down on her and chunks of the wall shot out towards her. “Last room on the left,” she shouted.

Dagger pulled me forward, his hold the only thing keeping my feet under me. The door swung open and we staggered to a stop. Julie barreled through the open doorway, barely missing me.

A large tapestry hung from the wall. Dagger grabbed a corner and pulled it away as Julie placed her hand on a worn block and chanted softly. A door sized cutout appeared and Julie pulled me inside a small paneled closet. Dagger was right behind us as the wall shimmered back into place behind him.

All three of us were breathing rapidly, sucking all the available oxygen out of the confined space. I couldn’t help but worry that we’d die from asphyxiation, instead of crazy bad guys.

Julie’s words were catching in between her labored breathing. “Where…is…the…next…best…safe house?” she asked.

Dagger shook his head in frustration. “I was planning on taking her to Lighthouse Manor, but that’s out of the question. They are finding Jade in no time at all. I think all the safe houses are corrupt at this point.” He scowled.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me! You brought Lorenzo’s granddaughter to my house!” Julie shouted.

Dagger got in Julie’s face. “Unless you want to die, I would suggest you get us to the closest exit,” he growled.

“We have two minutes tops before they blow this whole place up around us. If the safe houses are as you say, then we have no choice…we need to take her to Edge.” Julie turned to the wall and pulled a small piece of paneling away to reveal an intricate design. It began to glow a faint purple light when she placed her fingers against it.

“No.” Dagger pulled her hand away. “He’s the last person I would have Jade near.”

“We don’t have any other option! You can’t take her to another safe house and you can’t put her out with the Mick’s. Think about it…they would never guess you took her there,” Julie said.

“I don’t like it. He’s…” Dagger didn’t finish his sentence.

“You don’t have to like it, Dagger. You just have to get her to safety and Edge’s place is protected!” Julie yelled above the groaning coming from the house. It was a matter of seconds before we would be crushed under all the rubble.

“It’s protected by dark magic! How do you figure that benefits us?” Dagger yelled.

“We can fight about it after we get there,” Julie snapped back at him. The purple light started glowing until the small space hummed with energy. The wall blew out, sucking us through. The purple light flickered as we were spit out on the ground.

I turned back and the wall was gone. All I could make out were trees. Hundreds of them towered around us in the darkness. The limbs looked like long fingers ready to pluck us off the ground. The forest we were in was quiet, almost too quiet.

Dagger grabbed me and pulled me close as he quickly scanned the darkened forest. He pulled me closer when a twig snapped in the eerie silence.

“Show yourself,” Dagger growled.

A faint chuckle carried across the gentle breeze.

Julie huffed out a muted comment at Dagger, before stepping forward to speak. “Geez, Edge, what’s with all the drama?”

At once, night turned into day. I blinked from the sudden shift. I figured Dagger would let go of me so that I could breathe, but it only made him hold on a little tighter. I began to fidget, but he wouldn’t release me.

I blinked a few more times, chasing the white dots from my vision. Before me stood a dark cloaked figure, the hood pulled low to cover his face.

“My apologies, it’s not often I have visitors coming unannounced.” His sarcasm really needed a paper towel- it was dripping everywhere.

“It was a last minute decision, trust me,” Julie replied.

“Ah, Dagger, how good it is to see you. How long has it been?” Edge pulled the cloak off and let it fall to the ground.

“Not long enough, Aldrige,” Dagger growled.

“Can’t even call me by my first name? You’re still holding a grudge I see,” Edge replied.

Edge fit his name well. His lithe body was encased in all black. His face was finely chiseled, like a statue come to life. His onyx black hair was straight with a gleam of blue from the sunlight. Silky strands swept down over his brow to almost cover his steel grey eyes.

“Who do we have here?” He took a step towards me.

Dagger pulled me back a step.

“You’re hurting me,” I gasped. Dagger seemed to realize how tight he was holding on and relaxed his arms enough for me to take a deep breath.

Julie scowled at us. “We need a place to stay,” she told him.

“I’m booked, sorry.” His lips lifted in a smirk. His eyes darted to Julie and came back to rest on me.

“Listen, you over dramatized Batman, we have no other choice. We barely escaped from West End House and we have to figure out where the next best place to hide her is.” Julie’s thumb jerked towards me in emphasis.

“Mmhmm, and you thought you’d just use my location to figure all this out? Unless I’ve been told otherwise, my house is not a ‘safe house’ for your kind,” he sneered.

“Our kind?” I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant. If he wasn’t of ‘our kind’, what was he?

“He’s a Triad plant,” Dagger said.

“Oh, yes do tell…please. Everyone knows how you like to play the hero, while I play the bad guy,” Edge laughed.

“Can you two set aside your differences for now? Dagger, in case you haven’t noticed, we barely got away from the Triad that just blew my damn house to smithereens and frankly, I’m not real comfortable standing out here in the open. She’s like a frigging beacon for the bastards.” Julie walked over to where Edge was standing and glared at him. “And as for you, well, just because you’re ‘off’ the list, doesn’t mean you can’t help us. I know you don’t want to have to explain to the council why you refused us sanctuary. I’m sure that’s all they will need, to kick you out once and for all.”

Off what list? It was getting more confusing by the minute. And why did Dagger and Edge hate each other so much?

“Just forget it, let me think for a minute and I’ll figure out where we need to go next,” Dagger said.

Edge let out a pent-up breath. “Forget it, man, there is nowhere safer then here right now, especially if the Triad is hunting her.”

Daggers vocabulary went from short sentences to no words, only noises. He growled again and tried to pace. It was hard to do because with every agitated step, my feet would get in the way of his and I would stumble.

“Can you please let me go now?” I asked. It’s not like I was going to get very far away from him, not that I’d want to right now anyway.

He reluctantly released me but stayed very close. He started muttering to himself. It sounded like he was running down a list of places, and coming up short on one he thought was safe. He snapped his fingers like he’d just remembered a place to hide.

“I know where we need to go to next,” he said as he grabbed my hand and began to walk away.

Julie looked startled as she hurried to catch up to us. I looked back at Edge, he looked bored.

“All the active flash point doorways have been sealed,” Edge said to our retreating backs.

Dagger stopped and turned, shooting a dirty look at him. “Why should I believe that?”

“Because I shut them down myself. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that you three just tumbled out of that one, I would have forgotten about the West End House.” He shrugged.

“Why would you close them all?” Julie asked.

Edge looked at Julie like she’d lost her mind. “In case you haven’t noticed, all the safe houses are under attack.”

Oh no! What about Jessa and Rainy? Were they still alive?

“Look I wasn’t kidding when I said I was booked. The house is filled with vagrants now. All the places they’ve called sanctuary are now blown to pieces. I’m thinking about leaving myself…can’t take much more of them.” He shook his head.

“Others are here? Dagger, do you think they’re here?” I was bubbling with excitement to think that Jessa and Rainy could be there - that they had made it through the last few days unharmed.

Dagger must have seen the hope in my eyes because he looked defeated. He knew there was no way I’d let us leave, without checking to see if they were in fact there.

“We’re out of options.” Julie turned to Dagger. “This is it, at least until we can gather enough resources to figure out what is going on.”

“Come on then, the more the merrier and all that shit,” Edge said as he turned to walk away.

We really had no other options and at least if there were a lot of people around, Dagger wouldn’t be subjected to too much time around Edge.

We walked until we got to a clearing at the edge of the woods. It would have looked like any open field except for the silver shimmery bubble that covered the house and surrounding acres in protection.

The silver haze flowed over my skin, bringing instant goose bumps to my flesh. I shuddered. Dagger and Julie looked sick, like they were going to vomit, sick.