Hellfire

Chapter Sixteen

I sat on the burned steps of the Oceanic, my eyes closed and my fists pressed against my cheeks as I listened to the city roar with life. Alistair sat beside me watching the dark, while Sam had long fled to fetch Lucius, bats flying ahead as they screamed their urgency.

I couldn't stop thinking about the sliver of hellfire I'd sensed. After the discovery I had scoured the entirety of the hotel, hunting for any other signs of this witch. I found a small amount in the back garden and on the stairs. Not enough to really tell how recent it was, the intentions of the witch or even who the witch was. Worse, it felt odd. Slippery and warm. It wasn't normal hellfire. When I'd grasped that little flaming moth, it felt weak. The heat simmered like dying embers rather than burning hot like a roaring pyre, and I couldn't quite grasp any real intent about the witch from them. It was odd. This witch didn't know how to leave little heat in their wake but was like she couldn't leave one, or at least a strong one that made sense. I'd never felt anything like it.

I wiggled my nose irritably, frustration and worry bubbling. I didn't like that this unknown witch had seemingly slipped passed Lucius without alerting him. I didn't like a witch that wasn't me, that hadn't been given leave, was roaming that hotel. I didn't like it at all. It made bad memories of that fucking night rise up, fear that the Murgatroyds were on the move again. But I hoped I was just jumping the gun. Maybe I just didn't know about any Lennox or Pendles that had come by to check things out and see to their sisters. It wouldn't be unreasonable of them to.

My eyes flew open, my gaze snapping to the weak stars smothered by Bath's light. I jiggled my legs. I needed to speak to Lucius. He needed to know.

'Is he here yet?' I asked sharply of Alistair.

'Not yet.' Alistair said distantly as his consciousness stirred. 'He's coming.'

I leapt to my feet, my need to pace taking me, until I saw Alistair and finally noticed just how still he was, focused, and not in the same way I was. Something was distracting him, something worse than finding unknown hellfire within the Oceanic. Curiosity piqued.

'Something wrong?' I asked, swaying on the balls of my feet.

He spared me a look.

'Are you coping with the feeds, Susan?' Alistair asked instead, avoiding my question. 'I get worried he's biting you too regularly sometimes. You may be a witch, but you have limits.'

I touched my throat, my fingers dancing over those pinpricks that glowed like a dominating stamp from Lucius, and stoutly ignored the flash of his hot mouth dancing over my breast, his cold touch slipping along my thigh.

'Fine.' I replied with a slight shrug, not wanting to give away my inner problems of wanting Lucius and not being able to.

Alistair grunted softly and fell quiet, his mind closing down once again. I followed Alistair's gaze curiously to the fancy hotels and restaurants opposite. Men and women passed, laughing, hand in hand or lips locked in brief or deep kisses, and all were dressed richly. I recalled Ella having gone out with him a handful of times, dressed up like those women, high heels adding to her already stupid height, curves on display.

And then I realised they'd just...stopped this last week.

'How did your recent outing go with Ella?' I asked, finding I couldn't just ignore him.

'Fine.' Alistair replied rigidly.

I clicked my nails over my teeth. We were too much alike sometimes.

'Did she upset you?'

Alistair rubbed the back of his neck, sighing heavily. 'No.'

'Then what's the problem?'