Page 19 of Fated Wings
Which way? Left looked like it led deeper into the house, while right ended at what might be stairs. Stairs meant down, and down hopefully meant out.
Exit. Freedom.
Turning right, Newt snuck down the hall. The hardwood was cold beneath his bare feet, sending little shocks up his legs with each step. Portraits lined the walls, their eyes seeming to follow him as he crept past.
Creepy. He had an urge to flip them around. If his magic wasn’t so wonky, he would’ve. He had no idea who the people were, but none of them looked the type to invite him to tea.
As he kept moving, every creak of the floorboards sent spikes of adrenaline through his system. His ears strained for any sound that might indicate he’d been discovered. So far, so good. No alarms, no sudden vampire attacks. Maybe his luck was finally turning around.
At the end of the corridor, a board groaned loudly beneath his weight. Newt froze, breath caught in his throat. The dang floor was gonna get him killed.
Luckily, silence answered. Not vampires. He allowed himself to breathe again and continued his descent.
After what felt like hours, Newt reached the kitchen. Morning sunlight streamed through large windows, creating bright patches on granite countertops. A wooden door on the far side that would lead to blessed freedom. Newt hurried toward it, hope fluttering in his chest.
His fingers had just grazed the door handle when he felt a presence behind him, a subtle shift in the air that raised every hair on his body.
Newt whirled around, coming face-to-face with a vampire, broad-shouldered with a scar bisecting one eyebrow.
Every muscle in Newt’s body seized. He hadn’t heard footsteps, hadn’t sensed movement. The vampire had simply materialized behind him like a nightmare.
“Well, well. Breakfast delivery. How thoughtful.”
“I’m not on the menu,” Newt said, hating how his voice wavered. His fingers fumbled behind him for the lock, finding instead a heavy deadbolt that refused to budge.
“Fae blood is quite the delicacy.” The vampire’s smile revealed teeth that were perfectly normal until they weren’t. Fangs elongating slightly as Newt watched.
“We’ve been hunting you since we caught your scent in the forest. How delightful you’ve delivered yourself right to my door.”
Newt’s back hit the counter. Panic surged through him as he realized the kitchen door was bolted shut with no key in sight. Of course it was locked. Why would his luck turn around when he was about to die?
The kitchen suddenly felt very small and very trap-like. With the door locked and the vampire closing in, Newt did the only thing he could think of. He let his wings burst free with a sound like unfurling silk. One powerful beat sent him shooting upward, narrowly avoiding the vampire’s grasping hands.
He hovered near the ceiling, heart racing as the vampire snarled in frustration below.
“You can’t stay up there forever, little fae.”
“Watch me,” Newt retorted.
Footsteps approached from the hallway. Two more vampires entered the kitchen, their faces lighting up when they spotted him.
“Look what flew in,” a second vampire said, voice lilting with amusement. “Our little forest friend.”
The third vampire, broad-shouldered with a shaved head, reached for a broom in the corner. “Let’s knock him down like a piñata.”
Great. Three against one. Why hadn’t he just stayed at Vaughn’s? His mate would be out of the shower by now, wondering where he’d gone. But, no, he’d had to be responsible and try to return home. Now, Newt was playing aerial tag with bloodsuckers who saw him as an exotic breakfast option.
“Flying won’t save you.” The first vampire moved to block the doorway leading to what Newt assumed was the front of the house. “We have all day.”
Trapped. Completely and utterly trapped.
All three vampires circled below him now, exchanging glances that made Newt’s skin crawl. They moved with unnatural coordination, spreading out to cover different areas of the kitchen. No matter which way he flew, one would be waiting.
Newt pressed himself flatter against the ceiling, mind racing. He needed a spell. Something, anything to get him out of this.
Disappearing spell! It was simple enough that even he couldn’t mess it up. Probably.
While the vampires conferred in hushed tones below, Newt quickly traced a pattern in the air with his finger, whispering the incantation spell that should, in theory, make the vampires disappear long enough for him to escape.
