Page 39 of The Haunting
“It’s locking us in,” James stated and sat forward.
Worry hit me hard as I realised how vulnerable we were. Daniel moved and grabbed a piece of wood from the fire and strode to Vladimir’s door. He held the burning log to the door, and the ice receded a little. Then it lunged, and a clawed hand formed and tried to grasp the log. Daniel leapt backwards and held the flame out to the ice again. The claw retreated as Daniel pressed his advantage.
A crack echoed, and the clawed hand broke off and fell to the floor, where it became water. The ice stopped spreading, and Vladimir moved away as Daniel held the log against the door to melt the ice on it.
“Nice try,” he muttered as the ice turned to water.
A foul smell drifted through the air, and we all gagged.
“Okay, that’s vile,” James said as he buried his nose in his elbow.
“Look!” I cried, spotting something.
Lucian
A sickly green-yellowish smoke snuck under the door. We were all heaving over the stench, which was the worst I’d ever smelt. The creature had failed to ice us in and was trying to… what? Poison us? Force us out? If we left the room, somebody would die; that was for damn sure.
I grabbed a spare blanket and hurried over, and as I tried to shove it around the gap, something slapped me hard.
“Damn!” Vladimir gasped and helped me back up. Together, we shoved the blanket in the small gap between the door and floor and blocked the smell as best we could. But the stench lingered, making us all nauseous.
“That would have knocked us out,” I gasped between heaves.
Trying not to spill my guts everywhere, I sat down and ducked my head.
“And it would have easy access to everyone,” Vladimir said grimly.
“It’s amping up, and we need to somehow stop it,” Chance stated.
Any tiredness we’d been feeling had fled. We were wide awake now and on guard. Our heads twisted constantly, looking for the next angle of attack. Because I damn sure knew one was coming.
Chapter Nine.
Eden
Iwaited, hidden in the secret panel behind the sitting room. My nerves were on fire, and I knew Claudias was coming for these people. Of course, I’d not known him, but Jacques had spoken to me at great length about Claudias and his wickedness. Hell, Jacques had written a book for me explaining everything.
I was no longer the cowering, terrified woman Jacques had met years ago. With Jacques’ help, I’d become so much stronger. My body was as hard as rock; not even a sledgehammer could break it. Unlike my broken bones when Jacques and I got together.
My husband, who loved to rant about the world and how it had changed, had nothing but endless love for me. D’vid was the only other original Vam’pir I’d met. Jacques stayed in touch with James, who was classed as a Vam’pir but was a child of Jacques. The other Vam’pirs could go to hell. They were all judgmental fools, especially Jacques’ ex-wife Inka and their son Mihal.
The first Vam’pirs had shunned Jacques for ending Julia’s life. They’d not known the true story behind it and had judged him as guilty without a word from him. Well, the truth wasout there now. Julia had been insane and had been murdering prostitutes because one had carried her beloved husband’s soul. Oh, Julia was a famous serial killer, one who the entire world believed had been a man. Jack the Ripper. But he’d not been male at all, just a crazed Vam’pir who couldn’t cope without her soulmate.
Several Vam’pirs had reached out to Jacques since his book was released, and we’d shunned them. If they wished to sit on their thrones and make snap judgements, so be it, but Jacques and I owed them nothing. I imagine that learning D’vid was alive, and Jacques had known for thousands of years, was even more shocking to them. But Jacques had kept D’vid’s secret, and that was that.
I watched through a small spyhole as the four guards came alert. I heard noises and knew Claudias was seeking to put them off balance. Whether it would work remained to be seen. But I was here watching too. I’d promised Jacques not to let these innocents get hurt, and I wouldn’t.
As soon as Jacques killed the foul creature Claudias had become, we’d head home to our children and relax. That was our life now. This was an exception, this hunt, and a rare one indeed.
Phoe
I jolted awake, sure somebody had shouted my name. At the same time, Clio, Kate, Calamity, Sabine, and Maggie sat up.
“Did you hear something?” Clio demanded.
“My name was called,” I replied, and Clio nodded. Sleepers were rousing now, and I saw that Vladimir, Chance, Lucian, and James were all guarding various areas. Daniel should have been asleep, but he was wide awake, too.
“What’s up?” Drake muttered as his eyes popped open and he yawned.
