Page 40 of Wolf Spell

On the ground a curved scuff mark, he was right. The indentation showed where the bookcase had been dragged open.

He found a loophole along the edge, and straining we pulled the bookcase forward a little. The fear of a nest of blood thirsty vampires waiting for me inside this new passageway made me hesitate so he squeezed in before me, then grabbed my arm tugging me towards him.

Nothing. He gasped, and with all his strength pulled the bookcase shut.

Cold and pitch blackness encased us. I fished out my phone and pressed the torch on, not wanting to use magic here. We walked as fast as we could without making a sound, leaving the shouting, the scent of blood and footsteps behind us. The passageway led sharply down, so I guessed we were entering the basement.

My plan had failed epically, just like the spell and my mind jumbled, full of defeat, of failure.

Mattie had been right. I should’ve trusted her. I shouldn’t give in to my feelings. Everything was going wrong. Now we were trapped in a house with immortals who would no doubt want our heads. Everyone had been wrong to trust me, and I, foolishly had now endangered Lycaon’s life.

The lower we walked, the colder it got. An icy chill caused goosebumps on my arms and the silence was deafening.

“It’s like a crypt here. You alright?” His voice was quiet yet still echoed lightly.

“Well, everything’s gone to shit. So there’s that. How in the hell will I find anything to help now? I should’ve…”

He pushed open a door before me. A warm bronze light sparkled, lighting up the whole place. It came from an orb placed in the centre, emitting the radiance and heat.

Desks and bookcases lined the outer walls, with a quartz crystal table in the centre where this orb was placed. Light penetrated the quartz, and the crystal wands that faced out from it glowed.

Glass cases adorned the tables filled with herbs, strange substances of rainbow colours and small bones.

Werewolf skulls hung like trophies, along with vampire and demon skulls. Witches' skulls carved with golden sigils like the one in the forest, grimoires, crystal skulls… herbs.

Heat swirled through me, my eyes taking it all in. Part of me was fascinated, the other, terrified. The raw power in this room alone…

Lycaon pointed. To one side, a wicker basket on the floor filled to the brim with poppets, poppets with the oak leaf sigils.

“Holy shit,Adara? They were behind killing Lisa and Nathan? Oh God…”

Sweat broke on my forehead, my mouth watered as nausea churned in my stomach. Hakon was right, Mattie was involved in some shit. Adara, did they control Mattie’s coven, was she being controlled? Confusion buzzed, my head was dizzy.

He was standing over the basket and bent to pick up a poppet.

“No! Don’t touch anything. Just look. It could be cursed, or hexed, I mean they could’ve hexed it so if someone touches it they’ll know. This is horrifying. Hakon was right. I’ve been working with the coven for nearly a year, am I next?”

Suddenly I wondered if Becca and Josey knew about this, I mean were they safe? And Luna, a lone hedge witch.

Catching my breath I said, “We need to look around here fast. Others are in danger, Marrock?”

He fixed me with a stare. “Dear God, yes. And Loren’s spirit, this,” he gestured to the room, “this coven must be responsible for unleashing the darkness on Loren’s soul and on Zale.” He growled, “And on me…”

“There must be spells to dispel this magic here. Look but don’t touch anything.”

“Why are there so many werewolf skulls, who the hell are these people? Who owns this place?”

I shook my head. “Some Lord, I don’t know. I just saw the invite in Mattie’s home, some council. I presumed a witch's council. Now though?”

Keeping our voices as quiet as possible, Lycaon called to me as he studied the other side of the cellar. “Elsa, Elsa, come here. Look.”

‘“Oh my God, how did they get Luke’s blood?”

“It gets worse. They have Lucifer’s blood, Hakon, mine.” His pale eyes turned scarlet, feral.

I gripped his arm. “I don’t know, but this is more dangerous. That must be how they were able to control Loren’s spirit and render you powerless. This ishowthey’re so powerful. Look, if they have your blood, they can effectively control you. You’re their puppet. Blood is the life force. They can control all of us. How did they get it, how did they steal everyone’s blood?”

Before I could stop him, he grabbed the small glass phial labelled Lycaon and shoved it in his pocket. His muscles clenched, and I could smell the earthy scent of the wolf struggling to get out. His eyes searched the room, looking for an escape.

---