Page 107 of Bite of Passage
Cade tossed him his longsword and handed over two daggers.
He tucked the daggers into his worn leather armor that had taken a beating from the Bannos encounter and kept the sword in one hand.In three strides, he was in front of the mirror.He pressed his fingers to the surface.
Nothing happened.
He slammed his hand into the mirror.
The portal still didn’t let him through.
“You made sure she wanted you to stay here.”Fontaine chuckled.“There’s no hope for you, fang face.”
ChapterForty-Five
Fourty-eight hourslater
Gemma yanked the key away from the lock on her apartment door before inserting it.There was someone inside her apartment.She could hear the person pacing around muttering what sounded like spells.Her vampire super hearing and enhanced strength had already saved her once today from a witch.
One sniff confirmed the putrid smell of yet another witch.Did being a vampire make her a magnet for witches?
Her trip to the hospital for VanFliet’s medicine hadn’t been as simple as expected.First, humans were attracted to her.They zeroed in on her, all drooly and intent on touching her.And not in a be-my-friend way, but anI-love-youorI-want-to-screw-you-right-nowway.Skarde could’ve given her a heads up on the annoyance.None of the humans in that small town inn had been affected like this, but then again, they might be well aware of vampires’ allure and know to resist it.
Once she peeled the ER doctor off her and got him to sign a bogus script for VanFliet’s medication, Gemma had run into not one, but nowtwowitches.They seemed to be searching for her.
She’d clouted the one outside the hospital on the head and ditched her with super speed.
How could she get past the witch to get through the mirror portal?There wasn’t a question in her mind ofifshe intended to return to Skarde’s realm.She was going back.
She needed help.Maybe she could call Val?They hadn’t spoken since Gemma’s return.She wasn’t sure how to tell a possible vampire hunter she’d turned into her enemy.But this crisis called for extreme measures.
She crept silently down the stairs and out of the building.Across the street, the Sage & Flame hadn’t yet closed for the night.
After a super-speed move to the doorway, which was kind of fun, she knocked.
Val yanked open the door but then backed away with a hand to her chest.“You’re a…
“I almost died and he bit me.I asked him to let me die, but he refused and, yes, now I’m one of them.”
“You can’t bite me.Witches and vampires don’t mix.”
Gemma rolled her eyes.“I’m not going to bite you.There’s no time for you to have a heart attack about what I’ve become.Let’s fast forward past that for now.I need to get back to the other realm and Skarde, but I can’t get to the portal in my apartment.There’s a witch in my apartment, one I suspect isn’t as nice as you.I’m hoping you have something here that can help me distract this witch or get rid of her.”She gritted out a smile.“Maybe something protective to avoid her spells?”
Val didn’t reply.She remained frozen.
Gemma waved a hand in front of her face.“Wake up.Val, I could really use you and every bit of mystical mojo you’ve got right now.”
Nothing.
“I’m not crazy.I swear I don’t want to bite you.The only person I want to bite is across that portal and I have…” She rolled her wrist to check out her watch, which she’d put on as soon as she’d crossed over.“Not much time before the window closes.Please, help me.”
“Okay.”Val nodded.“Let me grab a few things and I’ll go with you.”
As they jogged across the street Gemma said, “I don’t know anything about this witch’s abilities.Do you think you can keep her busy for a few minutes and get yourself out of there safely?”
Val grabbed her arm inside the lobby of her apartment.“This will require some offensive magic.I’ve never tried it, only read about it.It’s a line in the sand that I learned about from my aunt, Serina, one I was told I shouldn’t cross.”
“Your aunt is Serina?”
“Yes.”
