Page 2 of The Blood Widow

I hoped they knew I couldn't save him. He had done blood magic to connect to the gang. There was no coming back from that. My hand flung out with the electric power buzzing around me. My body trembled in anticipation, eagerly wanting to be used. The hair of my wig lifted off my shoulders.

I knew I should just use my weapons. It was dangerous to use my magic with three innocents in the room, but they were going to portal out soon. Their sizable blue portal would only go away once they finished their task. Creating a regular portal was different from my pocket portals. It took time and ingredients so the creator could control the doorway.

I took a deep breath and prayed to whoever was listening that my magic would obey me. "The four men," I said, commanding my power. Waves of understanding ripped from me and slammed into the men the magic thought I was talking about.

But it was wrong. The magic latched onto the father first. "No, him," I instructed with desperation. “Him,” I said, pointing at the bald man with tattoos covering his head and neck.

His red eyes went wide as blood seeped out of his and the others’ mouths to me. Soon, the other three crashed to their knees, but Red Eyes tried to fight against my pull. I stepped away from the wall, so I could control the power more. Besides, the men needed to see me before they died. I might want to be a righteous person these days, but I still had the desire to kill and see evil people crumble at my feet.

Watching the life leave these men's eyes made my body tingle in delight. It fed my darkness. Their blood was like black licorice on my tongue, bitter but tangy. The taste of a person's blood told me a lot about them. The bitterness meant they’d done several inhuman things. This wasn't their first crime.

When their bodies fell to the floor, I knew it would only be a few minutes before more men would come. Being connected through magic would alert others that they died.

"Hurry. Go pack a bag. Only you and your daughter can go. More will come soon," I said, panting while I lifted the mother off the floor. I was fit but doing all this magic took my breath away.

Bruises were already blooming on her heavy-set body, and her brown bob was a tangled mess. She thanked me as she wiped the black mascara streaks from her cheeks.

"Come on, Sweetie," she rasped out to her daughter.

One of the guys must have hit her in the throat to keep her from screaming.

The little girl with brown, curly hair ran to her daddy, crying. He wrapped his large arms around her tiny frame.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetie," he said to her. He was a balding, heavy-set man. "Be good and listen to Mommy and this woman. Daddy loves you so much."

"Okay, Daddy, I promise. I'll be a good girl. Here." She handed him a pink doll that was worn with love. "Miss Pickle will keep you company. Take good care of her. Okay, Daddy?"

I didn't think she understood what was going on. That she'd never see her dad again. The gang would take his life for not sacrificing his family for them.

"I promise," he whispered through a sob.

"Billy," her mother shouted from one of the rooms.

The little girl kissed her dad's cheek and ran to her mom. My eyes stung at the obvious love between them. I always dealt withcrappy parents. It hurt to see something terrible happen to the good ones. Greed was one of the worst sins.

He glanced my way. "Please take them somewhere safe. I don't want to know where. I'm so sorry, I didn't know." He pulled at his hair as tears fell down his pain-stricken face.

I nodded. I turned to meet his wife and daughter in the back but froze before I got too far. "Do you want me to do it? The gang won't make it pretty."

His sobs grew louder. "I knew the Sinisters' reputation, but the person I spoke with made it sound like heaven. I bought her crap. I don't know if I should get off so easy."

The fucking Sinisters. I couldn't let them kill him. He was innocent. The recruiters lied to people to get them to join. They were worse than the demon king. Most of Sinisters’ people were demons, but not all of them. They'd torture him in every way possible before letting him die. Only to have a healer fix him and start all over again.

"I believe you do deserve an easy death," I said and called on his blood.

I didn't know how my body took in so much, but I was thankful it did today. Five men were dead, and their blood was in me. I wish I could say it helped soothe the darkness that always rose inside me. It didn't. The darkness wanted chaos and destruction. The four gang members' tainted blood only fed the flames. If I was unlucky, their blood would make me sick. Fingers crossed, it didn't.

Ignoring the monster lurking in my soul, I ran to the room where the girls threw their stuff into suitcases. A loud crash from somewhere else in the house startled me. I called on my portal magic, and it landed on the bed this time. At least we didn't have to climb the wall.

I picked up the little girl. Her bag was full of toys. I still picked it up. "Come on!"

She relaxed when her eyes met the stuffed bear's head sticking out of the top of the bag I held. She shifted in my arms and glanced toward the door. "Why can't daddy come?"

I ignored her.

A man shouted from the front room.

"Go! You first," I commanded and shoved the mother's shoulder. The stomping of boots outside of the room had her franticly diving in.

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