Page 23 of Stolen Oath
“She’s not here.” Char was turning frantically this way and that at the top of the wide staircase, the long skirts of her dress swishing around her ankles. “Allie?” She whisper-yelled loud enough every supernatural in the mansion to hear her. “Alaska McCullough, get over here this instant.”
“Stop getting everyone’s attention, she…,” Dimitri was saying when I finally reached them, barely able to keep myself from panting loudly since I had to jog up the damn stairs.
“I’m here.” I told them and draped myself over the railing of the last couple of steps so I could catch my breath. “Seriously, did you have to come up here, Dimitri? I’m aware that you don’t like me. There is absolutely no need to prove it by trying to kill me like this.”
Char on the other hand had a different problem it seemed because she totally ignored my whining. “You can see her?” she hissed at the alpha then rounded on me or where she assumed I would be. “He can see you, and I can’t?”
“No.” We both answered her although mine was more of a question than stating a fact.
My friend narrowed her eyes not being convinced for a second that we were telling her the truth. I couldn’t blame her. I didn’t believe the wolf either that he couldn’t see me. People were speaking with loud voices downstairs however, all gathering around the tall windows to watch what was happening outside. If Dimitri could see through my magic or not would have to wait.
“Hang on.” Pushing off the railing I rushed into the nearest open door and dispersed the spell so I could actually talk without worrying if anyone could hear me. “We need to get out of here before someone gets hurt.” I told them as I returned to join them at the top of the stairs.
“You should’ve stayed invisible, Allie, if that was your plan.” Char pointed out the obvious. Her foot started tapping too which was never a good sign.
“And let someone else suffer because whoever is outside is looking for me but can’t find me?” With a snort, I leaned over the railing in hopes to see if anything had changed downstairs with a hand pressed to the center of my chest so my boobs don’t pop out uninvited. “That’s not happening, Char. If they want me, they’ll need to catch me first.”
“I’m not sure they’ll see that as the challenge you want it to be.” My heart skipped a beat when Angela spoke from behind us. “Something is seriously wrong with the vampires and hyenas outside. Come,” she spun on her heel and walked away without worry if we would follow or not.
Of course, all three of us took the bait and followed silently down another hallway with a plush runner stretched from one end to the other at the very center of the gleaming parquet. As we walked, I glanced at Dimitri from the corner of my eye in case I could see any indication he was expecting Angela, but I caught him openly studying me instead.
“What?” I mouthed so I don’t provoke the she wolf in any way.
He grinned.
An honest to goodness grin that scrambled my brain when it lit up his face and popped those dimples out. I stared dumbfounded and didn’t realize Char stopped walking so I collided with her back, bounced off her, and ended up on my butt with a grunt.
“Shit.” Char gasped reaching for me. “Are you okay?”
Blowing the few strands of hair that fell over my face with a huff I gave her a deadpan look. What kind of a question was it, are you okay, when she sees me sprawled down at her feet like some prostrated peasant?
“Come look.” Angela’s voice came from an open doorway so I took Char’s offered hand and pretended I didn’t notice Dimitri didn’t try help.
I did debate tripping him when he walked around us to enter the room, though. The moment we followed I wished we stayed out in the hallway ignorant of what was out to get us. Honestly, there had to be a moment in one’s life where the universe, Fates or whoever was in charge said you know what? This person has had enough, we should cut this one some slack.
“What in the stars is that?” I physically shrunk back from the scene down on the manicured lawn.
Everything made sense. Why Angela’s father looked so worried and why no one dared to step a foot outside of the mansion. It was eerie and unnerving to a point it was eliciting physical reactions from all of us. Even Dimitri shivered when we stepped in front of the wall made out of glass.
Lined up in two rows with a precision of an architect, vampires surrounded the house. They stood stock still, arms loosely hanging by their sides, heads bowed down like they were asleep standing up. Next to each vampire sat a hyena tongue lolling to the side, black holes instead of eyes in their gaunt faces.
What alarmed me the most was the moment I stepped next to the floor to ceiling window all of the vampires heads snapped up and their eyes locked on me. The hyenas jerked to attention too, their empty eye sockets lighting up with blood red irises, which glowed unnaturally in their faces. Cold sweat washed over me and fear numbed my entire body.
“They are spelled.” Char moved close to me, her shoulder brushed mine when she pressed her hand on the glass. “Witch magic.” She turned to face me, her face blank of any emotion.
“Did you tell anyone we were coming tonight, Angela?” I asked the question but kept my eyes locked on my friend. I could see the fear and turmoil churning behind the calm way she gazed at me. Dimitri was being unusually silent but it suited me just fine. Hopefully I could forget he was even there.
“Why would I do that?” The bombshell sounded genuinely perplexed glancing between all three of us as to why I would think we were important enough for her to mention.
“I thought the decorations on the fountain in the front yard were quite interesting.” When Angela frowned at me probably wondering if I had lost my mind I hurried to come up with some explanation to my comment. “The flowers are Char’s favorite. It’s not exactly the season for Calla Lilies, so I assumed...”
“You don’t know what you are talking about.” She sounded oddly upset that I would dare comment on the decorations. Or so I thought at first. “My father built that fountain for my mother when they lost their first pup at childbirth. He will rip the throat of anyone out, including me, if someone goes anywhere near it. If you didn’t imagine the flowers we have a much bigger problem than the spelled shifters and vampires.”
“The flowers were there.” Dimitri spoke barely above whisper. “I saw them as well.”
“Stay here. I’ll be back.” Angela didn’t need more convincing. She practically sprinted out of the room leaving a cloud of some musky perfume in her wake.
“Allie.” Char bumped me with her shoulder to get my attention. I dragged my eyes from the spot Angela was occupying not long ago to my friend. “Do you think they may have a seer working for them? It could explain how they know where to corner us every time.” Her unsmiling face turned from me to the alpha and back. “Maybe that’s why we play catch up. They are always one step ahead.”
