Burned (Book1) The White Rose Vampire Series

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I could feel the cold press of the steel barrel of the gun at my back as the man behind me ushered me toward the forest. Instinctively, I knew he was leading us toward the creek. I trembled with fear as I imagined the flames licking up my skin, burning away flesh as I screamed.

Lanie, I'm scared. I jerked hearing Izzie's voice clear in my head.  Thankfully, the man pushing me forward didn't notice.

My eyes slid to hers, widening as I wondered if I had really heard her within my mind. I closed my eyes, concentrating on her as I tried my best not to trip over gnarled roots.

Izzie? I projected with my mind.

I know this is a surprise, her voice whispered through my brain, But it's a gift I only realized I had last night when I entered Jonathon's mind. I didn't know if you could answer back but I could hear you so maybe this little gift of mine will come in handy more than I thought.

Can you call out to Jonathon or the others with it? I asked, desperate for help.

Her brow furrowed. Maybe. I'll try.

"You are awfully quiet," The man behind me said. "You aren't up to something are you?"

"Of course we're quiet," Izzie said, narrowing her eyes. "We don't like you."

"Do you think I care whether evil witches like me or not?" The man spat behind me.  The gun pressed painfully into my flesh.

"So, you shouldn't worry about whether we speak to you or not," I said, curling my lip.

I could feel him tense behind me and I could sense his need to harm me. I braced myself but at that moment, an owl hooted, causing me to glance up. My eyes widened as I saw the owl who had landed at my feet the second day I had stayed at the manor flying overhead, diving straight toward the man.

He covered his head as the man who walked behind Izzie squealed and pulled her with him by her binds. For a moment, I thought to run but I couldn't leave Izzie behind.

The owl tore at the man's face with her long talons before gripping the gun, tearing it from his grasp, and taking it away.

"Harry!" The man behind Izzie screamed.

"I'm fine," he said, grabbing me by the hair.

"I guess that owl was your familiar," he said, jerking me backward.

I frowned as I glanced up at the trees with tear-filled eyes wondering if he was right. I glanced at Izzie who gave a slight nod.

"Well, a little bird isn't going to stop me from burning you bitches at the stake," Harry said, wiping his bloody face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"And I'm the evil one?" I said, raising my chin, "At least I don't barbecue human beings."

"Witches aren't humans," Harry said, pushing me forward.

"Witches are human," Izzie said, giving them a cold smile. "But our mates aren't."

The man paused. "Neither of you is bonded."

Izzie's smile widened, "One of us is," she said, her voice suddenly cold. "And when he finds you, he will draw out your death and relish in your screams."

I expected Harry or the man behind Izzie to harm us but instead, they both paused as Izzie glanced at me with her brow raised.

And he's coming, Lanie, Her voice flowed through my head. We just have to stall them a little longer. When he reaches them, he's going to make Gilliam look like a saint.

But just as hope began to flow through me, I raised my head to find the very familiar face of Margaret Harrison. Her cold smile told me she wasn't one to stall.

**********

"We don't have much time," Margaret said, a smile flowing over her gaunt face as she pointed her chin toward me. "The vampire will be here soon for this one."

"Whether I am burned or not, Bastian will kill you," I hissed out as my eyes narrowed on the evil woman.

She tilted her head. "Do you think I care?" She shrugged. "One of those vampires killed my sister simply because she was purifying our bloodline from the monster she created."

"Monster?" I asked, frowning as my stomach began to churn.

"Rachel...She even gave it a good Christian name, but it did nothing to prevent her from being tainted from the witches' blood," she said in disgust.

Horror washed through me. "You condone killing a child?" I asked cringing. "And you think we're evil. You're crazy."

"She was a witch!" Margaret screamed, her voice shaking with her insanity.

I narrowed my eyes. "She wasn't," I said, meeting the woman's gaze. Her eyes widened. "And I hope her screams as you burned her follow you for the rest of your miserable life."

Margaret's back straightened as her eyes moved over my face and I knew at that moment, she realized I was telling the truth by the sheer look of horror on her face.

"Tie them to the stakes!" She shouted, shaking her doubt from her mind. Harry and his partner pushed us forward.

The gurgling of the stream reached my ears as we moved through the break in trees. Izzie trembled and I knew she was thinking of her nightmare as she was forced to press her back to the stake. As I was pressed to do the same, my eyes focused on the water as my own dream came to me.

"Lanie!" Izzie cried as a dozen men and women came forward with lit torches, but my eyes were on the sky.

"Isabel Sutton and Lanie Price, you have been accused and convicted of witchcraft," Margaret said, her voice cold. "You shall be purified by fire to save your soul."

I inhaled as petrichor scented the air, meeting Margaret's gaze because as they touched the kindling beneath our feet with their torches, setting them ablaze, thunder rolled. As the fires began to dance around us and Izzie's screams pierced the air, the skies opened and rain fell down dousing the flames.

Margaret's eyes widened. "H-How?"

I tugged at the restraints binding me as I raised my chin and smiled, "Magic.  We only need intent.  We don't need our hands."

My eyes moved to the break in the trees as Mrs. Claiborne moved through them. With a sweep of her hand, the binds holding Izzie and me to the stakes fell at our feet. I rushed to Izzie. The moment our fingers intertwined, lightning struck the ground, electrifying the air.

The scream of one of the men, reached my ears as he rushed forward. "Suffer a witch not to live!"

An explosion shook the air as my shoulder stung in pain and I fell to the ground. As I did, the rain cleared. I reached up and touched my shoulder pulling it away to find blood coating my hand. I tried to take a breath, but it was hard to pull air into my lungs. I trembled as the man who had screamed stood over me with a gun pointed at my head.

I closed my eyes realizing my death was near.