Bloodstream

59 Fire and Knives

Axel

I came to with the surging heat around me getting more intense by the second. My eyes fluttered open to see Ezra's eyes full of mortification stuck on something. I followed his gaze to four witches standing next to Arabella, who was tied against a tree. As my senses began tuning in I heard it.

"Mairin audi nos"

The chanting - it got louder by the second and I only just noticed the fact that we were all in a huge ring of fire, presumably one that had been spell bound not to let us out.

"It's begun" Ezra put a hand on my shoulder as I pushed myself up.

I looked around, my mind still trying to come to terms with the fact that we were played to this extent - Sage, Donovan, Xander and Hunter were still unconscious. 

"Sage…" I tried to move towards her but Ezra grabbed my hand.

"Don't move" his eyes held something I couldn't understand.

"Wha…"

"Nathaniel got away" he mouthed and gestured his eyes to the forest. I followed his gaze yet again.

"Morning sunshine" Ashton's distant voice felt like music to my ears " Give us a second. We're dealing with the dogs"

There was rustling going around in the woods but it was too far for the witches to hear.

"Axel…" Arabella was whispering from the other side over the chanting. I looked at her with a questioning gaze, Ezra did too. I suppose he heard her as well.

"Listen to me" she was out of breath "These binds are making me weak but I'm trying to cast the spell, okay? Might take a while" she grunted, trying not to draw any attention to herself "You get one shot, go for the main one" she set her eyes on the eldest looking witch. I'm guessing she's the one in charge.

I nodded wondering how the hell we were going to get out of our little ring of fire.

"Don't miss. It'll either kill them all or slow them down. Either way...get out of here" she nodded back and began whispering some incantations.

"You think it'll work?" Ezra was looking at her with furrowed brows. I saw Phoenix shifting as if he was just starting to come around.

"What other choice do we have?" I shifted towards Sage but froze in the action when I heard Donovan coughing. I tried to move towards him but the sharp pain rushing through my temples. I tried to get up but I couldn't. I tried to force my body into the tiniest possible movement but was unable to do so. It was as if I were paralyzed in my spot.

"Ezra" I heard Sage scream from beside me. I fixed my eyes on Donovan but it was getting harder to focus, the chanting was the only thing ringing in my ears. I felt like my entire body was on fire at that moment.

"No" the loud shriek followed by a sudden thud. As the pain subsided,my vision cleared just in time to see one of the witches drop. No, it wasn't the main one. Arabella looked at me, shaking her head as if she was saying no.

I couldn't tell whether she was saying the spell isn't complete or if that was the wrong one. But it did help weaken the barrier. I saw  Phoenix rush out of the circle towards Nathaniel who had shot the bullet. Ezra charged towards the witches but he was drained and weak, all it took was one of them to flick their wrist and he was cast aside. He moved to Arabella immediately however the witches kept chanting instead of trying to stop them.

"Nathaniel?" Sage was pushing herself up but my eyes fell on my brother.

"No" I whispered to myself as everything around me suddenly began to quieten "No" I felt shifts beside me, I knew Sage had run out because I could, I know they were far from me, I knew that the witches remaining were still chanting but it didn't matter. My ears were strained on his heart. His heart's not beating.

"Donovan?" I put my hand on his chest trying to shake him awake, I tried wiping the gurgling blood from around his mouth "Come on brother, wake up" I shook him.

"Axel!" I hear a scream. I looked up in the direction "Arabella was hanging onto Ezra at a safe distance as she nodded at me "Now"

Donovan's going to be fine. He had to. I'll take care of him after this is over. First, I needed to rip that bitch's heart out. 

A witch noticed me moving to stand up and immediately flicked her wrist, pushing me back with a strong force.

"I smirked at her" the fear in her eyes was evident as she looked around. The wolves were dying. Seems like Phoenix's men had found us afterall. Half the vampires were out, and they were still hanging onto this stupid spell. My body was in flames but I kept trying to push through, eyes fixed on the one  - the main one. 

"Fuck you" I mouthed as she did her best to best me, I fell to my knees but I saw blood fall from her nose. Weak.

My body felt heavy, I could hear my heart speed up. I could tell their spell was in motion, but I couldn't move. I tried. I failed. A sick smirk creeped onto her face and soon the only sound I could hear was that of my own blood rushing to my brain as I let out a scream hoping it would ease me. It didn't.

I looked at Donovan. He was still. Cold. I tried moving towards him but I couldn't. My eyes were getting heavy again, I was shutting down but not before I saw Sage driving a knife through the witch's gut. This time it was the right one. The main one.

I felt a sigh of relief leave my body. At least I thought it was...I felt weak... drained. The last thing I remember was smiling at Sage as she looked at me with a worried expression.

****

Sage

"Arabella" I knelt down beside her as she had her pale face resting against Ezra's chest.

"Shoot her" she whispered "don't get too close…" were the last words she mumbled before passing out.

"What?" I wiped the blood off my mouth.

"That one" Ezra gestured at the witch in the middle with long brown hair "I need to get her away so they can't channel her anymore" and with that he disappeared into the woods.

I felt a strong grip around my neck. The next thing I felt was my body hitting the ground.

"You must be mad" I snarled at the stupid wolf who had the audacity to put his hands on me.

It took me a second to tear his neck from his shoulders before pulling the knife he had in his hand.

"Ahhhh"

Axel. I whipped my head in his direction. He was hunched over beside Donovan and Xander. Were they still passed out. My feet moved instinctively, the very next second I was back in that ring of fire, the witch standing an inch away from me, gurgling blood from my knife in her stomach.

"Too late," she whispered.

I didn't understand what she meant until I took a step back and realised I couldn't step out. I couldn't get out of the ring. I looked at Axel and my first instinct was to run to him. So I did. The chanting didn't stop. And I had only just realised the sudden change in energy since I put foot inside the ring, I felt drained...I felt weak as if someone was draining every ounce of strength out of me. What is happening? I fell to my knees coughing up blood beside the witch I just lay waste to….

"Sage...No" I heard Ezra's voice in the distance. I looked around but I couldn't see him. I managed to see a few wolves running away. I saw Nathaniel, injured lying on the ground shaking his head at me, unable to move.

I smiled, hopeful that we were going to win this, that we would be fine before the heaviness in my eyes took over.

*************

Not a long chapter but it did alot. Now I know this may or may not be the ending some of ya'll were looking forward to, but do keep in mind this is the first draft. I intend to take the book down in a few months so I can edit it thoroughly (Lord know it needs it) and have it back up and running before you know it.

Love you guys!!
I'll see y'all soon.