Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Dreams haunted me—showing images from my life. One moment I was back in high school, seeing Vance for the first time, the next I was wrapped in his arms and he was kissing me passionately. I clung to him desperately, never wanting him to let go, these intimate flashes together seeming so real.

Reliving our life, I watched our relationship grow as our coven continued to hide him from his scheming father, but then the dreams shifted and grew darker. Evil began to make its presence known and found a way to insinuate itself into the vessel of the very person I loved. Despite the fact that we thought we had destroyed his dad—despite thinking Vance had made it unscathed through an experience with death—fate seemed to be constantly working against us. I continued to fight for him, but there was always something pulling him in deeper, until he finally made the change we all feared.

He was a hunter, a demon, and he craved the fresh, uncontaminated witch blood I carried—mine specifically, which was laden with power. I didn't know what to do—I only knew I had to give him a chance and try to reach the real man lying dormant inside him.

It was difficult, and he proved to be a worthy adversary, but I could feel a slight change in him when we were together. I believed his feelings would win out in the end. While it wasn't a perfect situation, often fraught with danger for me, I refused to give up. We had bound ourselves together, both by magic and marriage, and I took those vows seriously. I would fight for him until there was no fight left inside me.

I thought I had finally received my miracle, that he had made a break through and was trying to redeem himself when he showed up to rescue me from Mayla's demon coven. Only I found out a switch had happened, and the person who rescued me wasn't Vance at all.

I didn't know how long I had been lost in my dreams before I found myself becoming consciously aware of my surroundings. My mind was clearer this time though, and images from the past continued to run through it. Remembering the night of the fire, I thought I was safe in Vance's arms, only to discover it was Damien, and he was a shape shifter.

I would've gagged on the thought if I weren't absolutely sure of when the switch had happened. Vance and I shared a mental link with one another, a connection that had been firmly intact until Mayla tried to perform her ritual. I was unable to reach Vance through it during repeated attempts that night. That's because it wasn't Vance who had been with me. It was Damien who'd come to my rescue—if one could call it that.

Vance's father was alive. How, I didn't know. It seemed completely impossible, since I'd seen Vance destroy him. Apparently all of his powers were restored to him too, despite having a demon kiss performed on him that had sucked all of his magic away. The only thing I was sure of now was that Damien was holding me prisoner. What I didn't know was where Vance was.

Afraid of what I might find after my last resurfacing, I chose to keep my eyes closed and my breathing deep and even, wanting to appear asleep to anyone who might be watching.

Since my eyelids seemed fairly dark, I concluded I must be in a dimly lit space, so I tried focusing on my other senses—hearing, smelling, and what I could feel around me.

Inhaling through my nose, the air seemed heavily perfumed with a waxy type scent I quickly deduced to be candles.

Curling my fingers ever so slightly, I tried to feel where I was laying. It appeared to be some kind of luxurious material, and judging from my own comfort I would say I was on a bed. Slowly, I moved my hand, brushing my clothing, and discovered I was still wearing my shorts and tank top I last dressed myself in. Feeling grimy, I wondered how long I had been this way. After listening carefully for any type of sound and hearing nothing at all, I decided to risk opening my eyes.