A Witch's Way

Chapter 31

"Serena? Go!" Ian said, pushing her forward into the darkened hallway and she stumbled into the room. She just caught herself, eyes darting around the dim room.

Serena covered her mouth, bodies already littered the floor, and she could hear the sounds of whimpers, and further away, shouts of victory or pain. The sharp scent of blood filled her nose and mouth and she bent down, throwing up, the acid burning her throat. She heaved, blinking rapidly to clear the tears that ran down her cheeks from her throat burning.

She didn't know if she could do this. It was too much. Too many dead bodies.

Serena felt a soft pat on her back and looked up, wiping at her mouth and cheeks. Melanie was standing nearby as Lyra, Stella and Ian moved to the stairs, looking vicious.

"Come on, you can do this. It's only for a while and then there will be no more of this," Melanie whispered, rubbing at Serena's shoulders. Jasper nodded at what Melanie said.

Serena brushed her off and took another breath, the metallic smell not nearly as over-taking and stomach-churning as before. "I'm fine, let's go." She could feel Rosemary's worried stare at her back.

"Dearest, are you sure you're okay?"

Serena nodded, patting Rosemary's head. "I'm fine, Rosemary. I'm more worried about you."

"I'll come back if I die, dearest. You won't."

Serena looked to Rosemary, surprised. Rosemary said nothing as sniffed the air, darting forward up the steps.

The four moved forward, holding up their hands to Suzuki and Kita to leave their posts and follow them up. Ian, Stella, and Lyra were already on the second floor, hearing the sounds of surprise and anger coming from up the stairs.

They were halfway up the stairs when someone shouted at them to go. Serena turned around to see Lee--she thought it was Lee, at least--impaled by a thorny vine. It flung him against the wall and she screamed, stumbling up the rest of the stairs.

Jasmine was here.

Someone else screamed and the others hurried, their faces pale. They could hear Jasmine scrambling up the steps, shouting at them.

Up ahead, Stella was fighting someone. Someone familiar.

Chase spared no glances at Serena and kept throwing punches, Stella just managing to dodge the fierce, light-filled jabs. "I trusted you!" Stella screamed.

Chase laughed, smacking Stella against the wall. "You think I give a shit? Your hierarchy is done for, Stella--" he hissed, landing to the ground with a thud from Ian tackling him. Chase winced, trying to crawl away from the fray to heal himself.

Serena watched with horror as Jasmine came running up the stairs, slamming Kita and Suzuki into the wall. She backed up, and Jasper put his arm in front of Serena.

Rosemary yelped and landed in front of her, hackles raised and teeth bared. "Don't you touch her," Rosemary spat, drool dripping from her canines.

Jasmine looked down from Serena to Rosemary and rolled her eyes. She snapped her fingers and her fox seemed to leap out of the shadows, onto Rosemary's back. Rosemary snarled and started to fight with it, leaving Melanie, Jasper, and Serena to stare at Jasmine.

Jasmine lurched forward, hands out to grab a hold of Jasper.

Serena flinched and a vine shot up, smacking Jasmine up into the ceiling. She howled in anger, scrambling towards Serena once she landed with a thud on the ground.

"No!" Ian shouted, grabbing at Jasmine's ankle from his spot on the floor. She snarled and whipped a vine at Ian. He jerked backward and held his face, blood seeping past his fingers at the cut. A snake bolted past Ian's feet and leaped at Jasmine.