Page 18 of Castings & Curses

Inadvertently, Fabian thought of Matt and his bloody accident. “She was much younger then, inexperienced. She’s no longer abstaining completely.”

Across from Mikaela, Lucille nodded at him, a soft smile on her lips.

Fabian’s resolve hardened. Against all odds, he believed in this unlikely couple. They deserved a happy ending, not another tragedy. “Mika, tell us what you want us to do. If you say so, the three of us will go in there and fight, no matter what Hanne promised him.”

“That guy won’t leave Greenvalley with his head,” Jan added grimly.

Right, the head severing. Fabian swallowed. “It’s your decision. We’ll understand if you rather want to leave all of this behind you—”

“And leave Hanne in the hands of this stinker?” Mikaela spat. “Did you hear what she promised him?” She shuddered. “Never.”

Fabian got back to his feet. “All right. It’s settled then. We’re going back inside.”

Mikaela’s eyes widened. “But he’s dangerous.”

Next to her, Lucille smiled. “So are we.” A mischievous glint entered her eyes. “Fabian might be a big old softie, but he’s more powerful than he lets on.” While Fabian blushed, Lucille got to her feet as well. “We won’t let him have your Hanne.”

She opened her hand to Fabian, her eyes locking with his. With a grim smile, Fabian placed his hand in hers.

Behind them, Jan cheered. “Finally. Let’s lop that guy’s head off.”

LUCILLE

Lucille’s heartwas thumping against her chest as they ran back to the warehouse. Excitement flooded her, of the kind she hadn’t felt since summer started. As crazy as it was, she’d missed this about Greenvalley—the monsters, the hunt, the danger.

After defeating Malcolm, she’d feared that her days as a witch were about to come to an end. With the prophecy fulfilled, what else was awaiting them? As it turned out, a whole lot.

They burst back into the hall, but this time Lucille knew what to expect. “Erit Lux!” she shouted, and brightness flooded the hall. It wouldn’t dispel this particular type of vampire, but it evened the battlefield. Now all of them would be blinded for the same precious seconds. The three of them, perhaps even less than Aricin, since their eyes were accustomed to the bright sun outside.

Sure enough, Aricin was still squinting when Lucille’s eyes adjusted. He had Hanne bent against a shelf, his hand firmly in the small of her back. At least until a jet stream of water hit him in the chest and pushed him away from Hanne.

“What are you doing?” Hanne cried out, alarmed.

“Saving your life,” Jan said as he stormed forwards, sword raised.

In the meantime, Aricin had recovered. He snarled at Jan, but a second, thinner stream of water hit him straight in the eyes. Jan jumped.

Just as he was about to bring down the sword, Aricin’s arm shot up. The Verenimijä grabbed Jan’s wrist and jerked it to the side. Then he kicked Jan so hard that the boy hit the opposite wall. With a groan, Jan crumpled. The sword had fallen from his fingers.

Meanwhile, Fabian had arrived at Hanne’s die and put himself between her and Aricin. “She loves you, Hanne. Mikaela loves you. You owe her a life.”

“No!” Aricin snarled. “She owes me a life.”

He lunged for Fabian, and for a third time, water hit him in the face.

“Hanne, go!” Fabian shouted. “We fight monsters, and you’re not one of them. So, grab Mika and go!”

Lucille was about to cast a shielding spell when she caught sight of Aricin. He snarled like a big cat, and sure enough, his entire body seemed to transform. His fingers and toes elongated into claws. His face distorted, and his teeth grew until he looked half sabre-tooth tiger and half human. With one big jump, he cleared Fabian and Hanne and blocked their path. Then he lunged at Hanne, grabbed her foot, and threw her into the same wall as Jan.

Contrary to Jan, Hanne got back to her feet immediately. She, too, was changing, but Aricin’s attention had wavered.

His yellow eyes locked on Lucille, then past her. Startled, Lucille noticed that Mikaela had followed them into the warehouse.

“Stay back!” Lucille shouted. Calmly, she awaited Aricin’s attack, the spell already on her lips.

Aricin snarled. On all fours, he bounded through the room.

Lucille counted the seconds in her head. Then, just before he reached her, she shouted, “Sageat negru distrugere!”

---