6
“What the fuck.”
Were the only words I uttered as chaos enclosed around my childhood home, the fire spouting high above the trees as bodies of people came pouring out from the main entrance and many started diving out of the windows from whatever floor they were on.
Jackson and the rest of his team had their hands up in the air chanting trying desperately to stop the flames from spreading and although they had managed to cocoon them, they were still trying to break free. This was no ordinary fire.
Dropping my bike to the ground, I rushed to his side and took a hold of one of his hands, pooling my strength into him and allowing him to use me as a power source.
“Come to join the fun, have you?” He shouted over the flames.
“What happened?” I asked, bewildered.
“Someone attacked our defences, broke in and basically did this… We must get the fire under control.”
“Is everyone out?”
“I think so.”
I felt the surge of energy fly from me and into our joining hands and a bright light engulfed us both as Jackson’s chanting grew louder as the dome around the flames grew smaller and smaller, killing the oxygen the fire needed to continue to grow until finally it was no more than a few sparks.
Finally, the fire was out, and I could see the devastation it had left in its wake, the entire manor blackened with smoke and damage, it would take a long time to repair.
Letting go of Jackson’s hand, I felt myself wobble on my feet and an arm wrapped around me, holding me tightly. Eric held me close to his side, taking my weight. I didn’t like to appear weak in front of anyone, but I couldn’t fight the sudden loss of energy or blood as my wounds were now starting to seep.
“Are you ok?” He whispered into my ear as he took me to sit down on the grass, among the injured and other recruits.
“I’m ok, thank you. Please go and check on the others, I will be fine.”
“My concern is you, Hayley. The witches will tend to the others, you look like you’ve been through the wars.” He sat down next to me and placed his arm around my shoulders again.
“What happened?” His voice was filled with worry as he looked at me with his determined brown eyes.
“Well, I did think I was attacked randomly earlier but after seeing this I am starting to think it might have been connected.”
“You were attacked?”
Molly, one of the witches on Jackson’s team and our head of research appeared almost out of thin air. She and I had trained together during our sparing lessons and although she knew how to wield a sword, sort of. She was much better suited for the books and science labs.
Short, with a pink pixie cut and bright blue eyes, she looked as if she could have stepped out of an anime or comic book. Sweet and non-threatening at first glance but get on the wrong side of her, you would regret ever being born.
She was a direct descendant from Lady Elizabeth Grey, just like Jackson, and the power she was able to emit was incredible, but sadly unchecked, and it frightened her. Jackson had created two gold bracelets for her to wear to help control her magic which she wore every day, no matter what.
“Yeah, I think it might have been an alpha vamp or perhaps an elder, second in command. They were able to manipulate the air, weather, and time around me. I was on the phone to Jackson when he happened, I have no idea how long it was. Time just stood still.”
“I’ve never heard of a vampire being able to control any type of element.”
Molly held her hand out towards me and gave me a green looking potion, a healing vial, and I was grateful when the liquid touched my lips, already easing the pain that had been screaming inside my body since I arrived.
“I will go help Jackson with others now that you’re in safe hands,” Eric said getting up and leaving my side, there was a coldness where his warmth had disappeared.
“Molly, were you able to find out more information about Darius?”
“I’m sorry, we were attacked before I had the chance to look. I have no idea what happened, I was sitting in the lab experimenting with some new elements and for a moment I thought maybe I had caused the shake, but then Jackson came through my mind and told me to evacuate the entire floor. Within seconds the whole place was up in flames.”
She sighed as she sat next to me, her body slumped in defeat. We had never been attacked before, and from the outside world, humans had no idea our home even existed. The wards kept us protected and hidden.
Well, they were meant to, but clearly, they were starting to crack. Rubbing my temples in frustration, I had no idea what to do next or what to think, the only people who would outright attack us would be the alpha and her group but there was magic in the air and so that meant witches were also involved.