Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A scream cut through the night causing me to bolt straight up in bed. I struggled to throw the bedding off and jumped up before I even gathered my full faculties. Stumbling for the door, I dragged the tangled blankets haphazardly along behind me as I rushed out of the room.

I stopped in shock, finding Vance kneeling on the floor, holding a crumpled Shelly in his arms. She appeared to be unconscious.

"What's going on?" I asked, frozen to the spot, wondering why Vance might've attacked Shelly. Her blood held none of the power he craved.

"She had some sort of vision," Brad said, hurrying in from the other room with a wet rag, followed by Hex and Grandma, who appeared from two separate doors to the right. "This happens to her often with them. When she comes to she'll be able to tell us what she saw. Thank goodness Vance's reflexes are so fast. He caught her right before she hit her head on the coffee table."

I felt horrible as his words sunk in. I should've known Vance was rushing to Shelly's aide, not trying to hurt her. He stared at me, his glance speaking a thousand words, and I knew I'd broken trust with him. He was aware of exactly what had passed through my mind in those few moments, and now we both realized what my subconscious had kept hidden for a long, long, time.

I was afraid to trust him.

Sighing in frustration, I moved closer. "I'm sorry, Vance," I whispered to him mentally, but there was no reply or acknowledgement he'd heard me, even though I knew he had.

Brad gathered Shelly into his arms, carrying her to their bedroom. Grandma and Hex went after him. I didn't follow, knowing they would call when they were ready.

"Vance?" I questioned, staring at where he was still kneeling with his head hanging down. His eyes seemed to be gazing at the floor as if he wanted to burn a hole in it. "Vance?" I asked again, this time into his mind, but I was greeted with that brick wall of his. "I'm truly sorry."

Rising, he walked into our bedroom, procuring the tuxedo coat he'd been wearing when we left Damien. We didn't have any other clothes except for those Shelly and Brad lent us. He slipped the coat on and brushed past where I was standing in the doorway, heading out into the hallway.

I watched him leave the hotel room without so much as a word. It was then I became afraid he was truly angry with me, and I popped into the hall after him.

"Vance!" I called, finding him standing by the elevator and I ran toward him. "Vance. Come back inside. You know we aren't supposed to leave the room until your dad is gone."

He didn't reply, only kept staring at the elevator doors.

"Don't leave. It's not safe. Let's talk this out. I know we can resolve this situation between us if we try. Please, just stay with me."

"You had your chance, Portia," he said softly, but when he looked at me his eyes were glowing, belying his anger. "Now go away and leave me alone."

"Vance! Don't talk like that! Please!" I begged, grabbing the sleeve of his coat and pulling him closer. I pressed my lips against his, clutching his head in my hands as I tried to mold myself against his body.

Pushing me against the wall, he returned my kiss with fervor. His tongue plunged into my mouth and he grabbed my hair, yanking my head to the side and sinking his teeth roughly into my neck.

He drank quickly, and I felt my strength depleting rapidly.

I suddenly realized what he was doing. "Stop!" I said, shoving, trying to push him away, but then he froze me with his powers, drinking until he was holding me up with his own strength. I could hear the little bell on the elevator, dinging as it passed each floor, signaling its approach.