Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I didn't speak to him when he finished, and he barely acknowledged my existence, which turned out to be just fine because I was fuming so badly I wasn't sure if I could have said anything without losing it entirely. Making a point to not be around him, I walked across the cavern to the altar, climbing the steps and sitting on the top. I curled my legs, placing my knees under my chin and wrapped my arms around them.

Carefully studying the many dripping candles that were cloistered around the far side of the stone, I found them rather interesting. These candles had been burning since my first awareness of this place, yet though they melted away in what seemed like little rivers of wax, they never seemed to get any smaller. I was fairly certain no one had changed them during my stay.

I dipped one of my fingers into the soft, wet surface of one of the freshly melted candles. It felt just like wax should, nothing out of the ordinary, and I found myself suddenly irritated over all the things about magic that I didn't know or understand.

If I were being truthful, most of that irritation came from admitting Damien obviously knew much more about it than I did. I didn't like feeling subservient to him. Someone who was as ruthless as he was didn't deserve any kind of praise—no matter how fleeting it might seem.

Letting my fingers trail absently over the stone, I wondered what kind of horrible rituals might have been performed here. Had people been sacrificed, their blood spilt to feed the delusions of a demented demon maniac? Or was this just a fortunate space Damien had stumbled upon?

Looking around at the walls of the cave, I gathered my powers attempting to pop to another location. Nothing happened. I felt a little panicked and frustrated at my failure. I thought my abilities were coming back, but I couldn't seem to make this dematerialization happen.

I tried again.

"It won't work you know," Vance's voice drawled from the bed where he lay watching me. "The cave is lined with special crystals which are preventing your jinn powers from working."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Damien mentioned it during one of his earlier gloating sessions," he answered with a shrug.

"So when we leave this place today I'll be able to do it again?"

"That would be my guess. I'm assuming he'll want you at full capacity for our little outing."

"Not that it will do us any good," I mumbled. "It's not like I can get away."

Vance was silent for a moment. "You could leave," he said softly.

"What?" I twisted to look at him.

He sat up, sliding off the bed and began walking over to me. I watched his progress across the room, his eyes never leaving me, and I could see several emotions playing there. Climbing the steps to the altar until he was standing directly next to me, he lifted his hand and slid it in a caress against my neck.

"I want you to escape," he said in a low quiet voice.

My heart hammered in my chest. "Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't even dream of doing such a thing." I swallowed at the knot that was forming in my throat. "Damien would slaughter all of you if I did."

Vance nodded. "I know."

"What do you mean, you know?" I asked, shocked. "Then why are you even suggesting something like this?"

"I need to know you're safe," he said, staring deep into my eyes. "If that means my death, or even the death of your dad, I'm willing to risk that. I know your dad would tell you to do the same thing. Get away from here, Portia. He can't do whatever it is he's planning without you, and if he can't find you, he can't harm you. You could go back to the coven and take them to a secure location until you figured out a way to destroy him. Just get out of here. Go someplace safe."