“Ashley.”
“Right. Sorry. I’m crap at remembering names.”
“How do you know us?” asks Jamie, arms behind his back still.
“I don’t. I presumed—if he’s Andrei Tepes.”
The faint moonlight doesn’t help us make out his expression, and I should check his intentions. As I take a tentative tug at the corner of his mind, my vision blackens.
“Don’t be rude, Andrei,” he says with a laugh. “I’m happy to speak to you all, about anything you want to know, if you come with me instead of walking to your deaths.”
I frown. This guy reminds me of Tobias but with sarcasm added to the condescension.
“You could be waiting here to kill us," says Jamie. “Why would we go anywhere with you?”
Alaric smiles. “Because I know Amelia, and she’ll be happy to see you.”
Chapter Fifteen
ASH
I stand outside the old Victorian house Alaric drove us to, on the corner between two streets and surrounded by high hedges. A light shines behind the curtains in the downstairs window and illuminates a window box filled with small flowers. The black and white tiles that shine on the porch floor are lit by a single light to the right of a blue door.
The decision to come here took time. At the mention of Amelia’s name, Jamie was all for running after Alaric, but I’m cautious. I can’t read minds or sense emotions, but a random witch approaching us in the woods outside the Blackwood estate? Suspicious.
Alaric called back that he wouldn’t touch the grimoire, but that Amelia might not be happy Jamie has the book. Each confusing reference he makes to our missing friend encourages the other guys to follow as if he cast a spell.
The final decision comes when Andrei reminds us that we’ve a few hours left before daybreak.
A short drive in an old, white sedan car later and we arrived here.
Jamie hasn’t loosened his grip on the book since we landed in the woods and the hope on his face sways me to believe Alaric is genuine. Andrei’s eyes dart around, half-hidden by his fringe as he slouches, back in defensive mode.
“We have somewhere for you to rest, Andrei,” says Alaric as he opens the front door.
“I won’t be resting much. I want to find Maeve.”
“Of course, you do, but daylight isn’t your friend. We have another hemia vamp who can show you that you’re safe.”
“I want to see Amelia,” Jamie says gruffly and pushes past me.
Still not a hundred percent after the blood and spell, I steady myself on the wall and glare at the back of Jamie’s head. I'm saving my energy in case we need to fight our way out of here.
I follow them into a small hallway tiled to match the porch. A set of stairs leading upwards faces us, with a hallway to the left that leads toward an open door.
“I found them!” Alaric calls and jingles the keys around a finger.
Amelia appears in the doorway at the end of the hall before her small figure rushes towards us and straight into Jamie.
“I knew you’d be stupid!” she scolds, grabbing the book off him before wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug.
Book still in hand, she breaks free and slams her tiny figure into me, attempting to wrap her arms around my waist and failing.
“I can’t believe you’re here!”
“Uh. Same,” says Jamie.
Andrei’s body language clearly warns Amelia not to touch him and she smiles instead. “Hey, Andrei.”
“Hey.”
Alaric claps his hand together. “I do love a happy reunion. We don't see many.”
“You still haven’t told us who ‘we’ are,” I say and pull myself to full height.
He grins at my posturing. “Friendly. Come on.”
"Trust them," says Amelia.
Alaric leads us to the doorway Amelia walked through, and into a large room. Heavy curtains are drawn across windows and a large table dominates the room. A couple of comfy-looking armchairs are at the edge of the room, with a handful of dining chairs around the table.
A girl with long blue hair beneath a black beanie sits with one knee tucked under her chin, a hoodie the same colour as her hair unzipped over a black shirt. She regards us as she slowly drinks from a can. Witch?
Beside her, a guy my size rests his forearms on the table and sizes us up with bright green eyes. Shifter. Definitely.
A map covers half the table, partially obscured by empty cans and fast food cartons.
“Amelia was right, then,” says the blue-haired girl. “They arrived to help the witch.”
“Maeve,” says Andrei tersely.
She scratches a cheek as she looks at him. “Which one’s Jamie?”
Amelia chuckles. “You can tell who the witch is.”
“Yeah. Amelia says you had a pendant. Still have it?”
Jamie shakes his head.
“Fuck. Alaric.” She looks to him. “Now what?”
“This makes things harder but not impossible.” He opens a noodle box and peers inside then sniffs. “Is this mine, Saul?”
“Yeah,” replies Saul. “Izzy ate all your dumplings, though.”
“Huh.” Alaric grabs a pair of chopsticks from the table and digs in.
What the hell? This situation is urgent and he’s eating?
“Sit,” he says through a mouthful. “I’d share but I’m bloody starving. That’s my second night walking around the perimeter of the Blackwood estate looking for you. I’m glad it’s the last.”
“How did you know we’d come?” asks Jamie.
He slurps a noodle into his mouth. “The minute Amelia knew Maeve was in the estate, she told me at least one of you would arrive.”
Amelia smiles and sits beside Alaric. “Yep.”
“Although the blood magic decision wasn’t smart,” he continues.
Izzy coughs out the drink in her mouth and it spatters across the map. “What the fuck?”
“We didn’t know where the place was,” Jamie protests. “Using Andrei's memories and a spell was the only way.”
“And quickest,” I mumble.
Saul rubs his chin. “And you’re Vincent’s brother, right?”
“He’s not my brother.”
His brown eyes fill with sympathy. “Sorry, man.”
“Do you know more about the situation with Vincent?”
“Oh, yeah,” says Alaric. “We know a lot about him.”
“We tried to stop him,” says Izzy coldly. “Our friend Regan disappeared investigating him.”
Regan? The witch in the barn? “Oh, shit,” I breathe out. “If Regan is a witch, I think I saw him. Skinny guy? Short black hair.”
“Where?” Saul straightens. “Is he alive?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. I doubt it.”
“When did you see him?” Alaric drops the chopsticks on the table and places down the box. “Tell me everything you know.”
The three of us remain standing, uncomfortable in this strange group’s house, as I relay the events I can remember from the night at the farmhouse with Vince. The events wiped from my mind until the horrific truth emerged.