Page 82 of Demons & Damnation

Sam nodded. “Looks like it.”

“Well that’s only a good thing, surely? It can only guarantee the fact she’ll help you.”

Sam shrugged her shoulders. “Not necessarily. I’ve not seen her for years. She probably doesn’t even remember me.”

Dylan let out a long breath and pulled up outside an idyllic little cottage. “This is where my nose has brought us.”

Sam nodded. “This is it.”

Before either of them could move, Lily appeared in front of the car, her arms folded over her chest as she stared at Sam and Dylan. Seconds later, Malcolm burst through the garden gate, standing at his wife’s side, ready for action if needed.

“Hi, Lily,” Sam said, stepping out of the car. “I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Sam—Kyla’s friend.”

Lily cast her piercing blue eyes over Sam, roving them up and down. Then, seconds later, she burst out into a wide smile. “Sam! It’s been a long time. You look so different now you’re all grown up. How are you? What brings you here?”

Dylan opened his car door and jumped out, standing at his sister’s side. “Hi,” he said. “I’m Dylan, Sam’s brother.”

Malcolm eyed him up and down, taking in every muscled bit of him. “Malcolm,” he said. “Lily. What can we do for you?”

Sam and Dylan looked at each other, not sure how deep to go with this.

“We were kind of looking for something and it lead us here...” Dylan said, testing the waters without giving away too much.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. “What exactly were you looking for?”

As the two siblings hesitated over their next words, Lily stepped forwards and said, “Rose is your grandmother, right?”

Sam nodded. “You remembered well.”

Lily gave her a tight smile before replying, “Rose is not human. Just like me. Which means you’re well and truly involved in our world. Am I wrong?”

Dylan inhaled sharply before looking across at his sister.

Sam shrugged her shoulders at him. “No,” she replied, looking back at Lily. “You’re not wrong.”

“Ok, good, we’re all on the same page. So what are you looking for?”

“We’re werewolves,” Dylan said, keeping his voice quiet and low. “I smelled an elemental in the area and it led us here. Is it you?”

A wry smile tugged at Lily’s lips. “No, it most certainly is not me. What do you want with an elemental?”

“My family, well, more the females in my family, have an old curse on them and we understand we need an elemental to break it. We were kind of hoping, if it was you, that you might help us.”

Malcolm started chuckling, his broad chest vibrating. “It’s neither of us, dear. You might want to have a chat with your best friend.”

Sam gasped and stumbled back a step. “Kyla? Kyla’s the elemental? When did she find this out?”

“Today. You’ve just missed her actually. She left about ten minutes ago,” Lily replied.

Sam turned to Dylan, horror flooding her in an instant. “We have to go find her. Now.”

“What’s going on?” Lily asked.

“Kyla has been really unstable lately. I fear she’s on the verge of another breakdown. If she’s just discovered she’s an elemental witch, she’s going to go nuclear with that.”

Lily and Malcolm shared a look, their expressions saying a thousand words.

“I can track her,” Dylan said, tapping his nose.

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