“You are special, Gwen,” Ian said, interrupting my thoughts. I brought my eyes back to him and cocked my eyebrow, unimpressed.
“You don’t know anything about me and if you don’t get to your point, I’m walking out those doors.” I was slowly losing what meager control I had over myself and was on the verge of frying him to a crisp.
“Oh I know more about you than you think. We’ve been searching for someone like you for a while now.”
“We who?”
“That doesn’t matter. I’m the only one who you’ll deal with.”
I released an annoyed sigh and ran a hand over my forehead. “Whatever game you’re playing, I’m not interested.” I turned to leave, not wanting to look at Ian anymore. It seemed he liked playing with me like I was prey that he was just waiting to kill.
“Even if I could bring Fiona back?” Ian called from his cell. I stopped in my tracks and half turned to face him.
“He’s lying, Gwen.” Aiden said. I ignored him and walked back to Ian’s cell, my hand tingling with the magic that waited to be directed.
“You already took her away from me, now you’re going to taunt me with her resurrection? You are stupid aren’t you?”
“Who’s taunting? I am one hundred percent serious. I can bring her back on one condition,” Ian said with a serious tone.
“Why would you?” I countered. Fiona meant nothing to him and I was sure that the only thing he wanted me for was my blood. He was currently stuck in jail and not getting out anytime soon. Not to mention, the dead couldn’t be brought back. Their souls moved on to the hereafter and those who didn’t, still couldn’t connect with their bodies anymore.
“I have my reasons.”
“What’s the condition?”
“Does it matter? Wouldn’t you do anything to save your best friend? Whatever the price to bring her back is worth it isn’t it?” Ian asked with knowing eyes. It could have been my weariness or the loss I felt for Fiona, but I was actually thinking about his offer. He was right, it didn’t matter what he wanted from me, if it meant Fiona would be okay.
“Let’s go, Gwen, you don’t have to put up with this,” Aiden said, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me towards the door. I dug my heels in as best I could and ran back to Ian.
“Prove it, prove that you can bring her back and I’ll agree to help you.” A victory smile spread across Ian’s lips while a shiver ran all through my body. I knew what I was saying was stupid but I couldn’t risk not trying whatever Ian had up his sleeve.
“What? Absolutely not!” Aiden yelled.
“I’ll need to see her body to bring her back,” Ian said, ignoring Aiden’s protests. I looked expectantly at Micah but he didn’t seem interested in what Ian was offering either.
“Please, Micah! What if it was Wyatt dead on that slab? What if there was a way to bring him back? Wouldn’t you do it, or anything else to save him?” I was at the point of begging, but the seeds of hope had been planted in my mind and I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibilities. If Ian could prove to me that Fiona could be brought back, I wouldn’t stop until it happened.
“Gwen, you don’t even know if he can actually do it. This could be a ploy to escape. You should know better than anyone that the dead can’t be brought back. If you agree to this, it’ll be your body on that slab and I can’t take that risk. I’m sorry, Gwen,” Micah said with finality.
“I promise Gwen will not be killed. She‘s too special,” Ian said. We all turned to look at him and Micah gave a gruff laugh.
“Excuse me for not believing a murderer.”
Ian pursed his lips in mock thought. “Do you have proof I’m a murderer?” Micah began to speak but closed his mouth as he thought about what he could charge him for. Ian hadn’t come right out and said he killed Fiona, or any other witch.
“If you didn’t kill her, then why did you turn yourself in?”
“I didn’t. I came to the police station because I knew you’d be looking to blame me. I’m not worried, though, because you’ll find no evidence that ties her murder to me.”
“How’d you know she was dead?” I asked in disbelief. His story sounded all well and good but he couldn’t dodge the fact that he had come to the police station knowing Fiona was dead already.
“Because I saw who did it and what they want,” Ian said with a smile. I considered him for a few moments and crossed my arms across my chest. He reminded me of one of those animals I’d seen on the Discovery channel. They tempt their prey into coming to them and then they strike. He knew the information would be too tempting for me to turn down. I could see myself getting closer and closer to the lions’ den but I couldn’t stop myself from exploring it.
“Who killed her and what do they want?” I asked. Aiden was leaning against the wall with a look that could kill and Micah stood just behind me waiting for Ian to answer my questions. I knew that Aiden was trying to keep me safe, but I couldn’t risk ignoring Ian’s tempting offer. I was powerful in my own right and could handle myself against Ian if I had to, or at least I hoped I could.
“I cannot tell you who they are but I can say that you, Gwen, are on everyone’s wish list. I’m surprised you haven’t been kidnapped yet, actually. And you are very lucky that it was me who found you and not the others.”
I laughed bitterly. “Yeah, that’s me, lucky.”
“Considering the other option, you are,” Ian said with a grave tone.
“I don’t know what you guys heard, but I’m not different from any other witch.” I released an aggravated sigh, annoyed that I was being targeted for the wrong reasons. Ian watched me with knowing eyes and I averted my gaze to the floor where I focused all of my attention on my stilettos.
“Shall we visit your friend then?” Ian asked. My head popped up and I looked back at Micah expectantly. “You can keep him in silver while he tries to bring her back. If he can’t do it, then you just throw him back in here.” I hoped my eyes conveyed my hopelessness and that Micah would fall under the weight of my stare.
I was spared having to beg any further when Micah pulled out a pair of silver handcuffs and said, “Turn around” to Ian. Ian happily complied and stuck his hands through the small window that allowed Micah to handcuff him. The handcuffs were made out of pure silver and Micah made sure that they touched Ian’s wrist so wisps of seared flesh floated through the small holding area. I breathed through my mouth so I wouldn’t inhale the smell of burning flesh; but it didn’t help, I could still smell it. Micah unlocked the cell door and grabbed hold of Ian’s arm, pulling him into the hallway and toward the door. I quickly followed behind them and shot Aiden a look that I instantly regretted. He looked pissed!
“I don’t understand why you’re falling for this, you’re smarter than that, Gwen,” he said, his tone filled with disdain.
“You don’t need to tell me that this is stupid, I know that!” I snapped back. “But…what other choice do I have, Aiden? If there is a small chance that he can bring her back, even if it’s only a one percent chance, then I’ll try it.” I looked at him as my eyes blurred with unshed tears. The memories of what Fiona had looked like in the tall grass haunted my thoughts. I blamed myself for not watching after her like I should have. I knew that Ian was bad news and I still let her walk out of our apartment with him. If the FPD was looking for someone to charge with her murder, than I was as guilty as Ian. Okay, maybe not, but I felt like I was, I had seen her in the hands of the enemy and didn’t rescue her.
“Please understand. Fiona is my best friend and she’s been with me through so much. I can’t accept that she’s gone for good, not yet. Give me this one last piece of hope and then, if what Ian says is a lie, I’ll deal with the loss of her, but not yet.” The tears that blurred my eyes fell slowly down my cheeks and I quickly brushed them away, not wanting to be weak in a moment that called for strength. I needed to have a level head at the moment.
Aiden wrapped me in his arms and kissed the top of my head as I tried to gain my composure. “I just don’t want you to get your hopes up. Have you even thought about how a vampire could be able to bring the dead back?” He spoke with a careful tone, as if I was on the verge of losing it, and maybe I was, I had been through a lot tonight.
I lifted my head from his chest and wiped the tears away and sniffed, hoping that snot wasn’t sliding out of my nose. “How, as a vampire, were you able to conjure a rose?” I whispered so no one would hear. I had no clue what kind of tricks were up Ian’s sleeve but I had hope that from his brew consumption, he could save Fiona. Aiden didn’t say anything, knowing I proved my point.
“You guys coming?” Micah called from the opened doorway. I gave Aiden one last look and headed towards Micah and Ian. I didn’t expect Aiden to understand what mindset I was currently in, but I wished he’d keep his pessimism to himself, he’d have plenty of time for “I told ya sos” later.
*****************
We all rode in Micah’s SUV over to the morgue. My hands wouldn’t quit shaking and I couldn’t stop from bouncing my knee as I anticipated what would happen. We only had an hour before the sun rose and Ian and Aiden would be dead asleep until tomorrow night. I couldn’t wait an entire day without knowing whether Fiona was alive or permanently dead. My mind reeled with the memory of first meeting Fiona, ten years ago….
The NAWC headquarters was in a special otherworldly town called Moon. A lot of humans thought that Moon was a werewolf town but witches also lived there. The phases of the moon play a very important part in our magic. I was sixteen then, when my powers chose me. I had gotten a summons to appear in front of the NAWC so that I could be initiated into the world of witches. My parents had happily shipped me off, since they were very religious and not comfortable with having a witch for a daughter. My mother had let it slip that her mother had also been a witch and that she hadn’t spoken to her in almost twenty years. I guessed she was telling me that even though I was her daughter, she wouldn’t speak to me either.
