Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Someone was calling out to me from the distance. I tried to grasp on to that sound, but everything was so foggy.

"Portia," the voice called again. "If you can hear me, open your eyes."

Fighting to lift my heavy eyelids, I tried to do as the familiar voice was instructing. When I finally succeeded, Krista's concerned face slowly came into focus.

"You shouldn't be here," I whispered, my mind flitting back over the images of Vance attacking me.

Krista waved her hand in dismissal. "I'm not magical anymore. He won't be interested in me. Besides, he left a while ago." She continued gazing at me with a worried look.

"Where'd he go?" My eyes flickered around the room.

"I have no idea. I stayed in the car so I could watch the house from down the street. He ran out and took off on his motorcycle." She reached out to me, resting her hand on my arm. "Do you think you can sit up now? You've been out for several hours."

"Why so long?" I wondered out loud. "Vance recovered in less than an hour after I attacked him."

Krista shrugged. "It's part of his demon anatomy, I would guess. Unfortunately, demons are stronger than regular witches. Add that to the other powers he's assimilated and you have one hell of a warlock. He'll be hard to stop."

Accepting her outstretched hand, she pulled me up, helping to lean me against the wall.

"Did everyone else get away?" I asked. I was extremely weak, and the room was spinning out of control.

"Yes. Your dad was sending them to an undisclosed location," she answered, and I closed my eyes for a few seconds.

"You should've gone with them," I said, looking at her after the wave of dizziness had passed.

"I thought you would need me most right now," she replied, sympathy written on her face. "I've lived with demons for a long time. I know more about them than anybody here does."

I realized she was right, and her wealth of knowledge would be useful to me.

"So now what happens?" I questioned, trying to wrap my head around everything. "Is he lost to us forever?"

She shrugged. "It depends on how he handles things," she replied honestly, for which I was grateful since now was not the time for sugar coating.

"What do you mean?" I had to concentrate to keep focused. Fatigue was sinking deep into my bones, and I simply wanted to sleep.

"Well, he's new to the conversion. He'll start going through some crazy cravings. It'll kind of be like he's on drugs. When the bloodlust is in control, he'll be awful. He'll say and do hurtful things to anyone, or anything, he feels like reacting to. After he feeds, he'll go into a sort of remission. He'll be sorry, almost apologetic, and swear he'll never do it again. Then he'll begin to get antsy when the cravings start to come, until he's overcome by the bloodlust. Then he'll become the hunter once more."

"There isn't anything we can do for him?" I asked, wishing for some sort of miracle.

She shook her head. "No, it's up to him. Most demons go crazy during these first days of bloodlust. They become completely consumed, having no self-control what so ever. They lose themselves to the addiction, attacking and killing any magical thing they can get their hands on."

"And the ones who don't?"

"They are extremely refined, like Damien, Douglas, or Fiona. They rise above the addiction and use it to their advantage. That isn't necessarily a good thing though. Those individuals are very cunning, sometimes twice as bad as their counterpart."