Opening the door a crack, I listened. The others stood silently as I waited, only pushing the door open when silence ensued. Tingles shot down my spine as my foot stepped into the hallway. It was a small landing, stairs almost immediately going down to a wooden door. The area was lit by a dim bulb with no shade.
The smell of sage hit my nose as soon as I took a step down. Someone had tried to cleanse the place, but it hadn't worked. The energy was heavy with darkness. Poor Brianna had been locked in a flat full of evil. Xvair Harvey must have been with her for some of the time. He had terrible beliefs, which lead to terrible crimes.
Tapping me on the shoulder, Dave held up his tablet. “There's someone down there,” he mouthed.
A red light flashed on the screen, although the jargon on it made no sense. We already knew that Brianna was down there. She had said she was alone, so it appeared her story matched up. That was a positive sign.
“Let's hurry before anyone comes back,” I whispered.
Nodding, they indicated that I go ahead.
Skipping down the steps, I kept my footsteps silent, even though no one else was there. I didn't want to scare Brianna too much, although she would be on guard anyway. The poor vampire would never forgive me.
Reaching the door, I wasted no time in twisting the handle. It moved easily, the hinges quiet as it swung open. My hand found my dagger automatically, pulling it out from my holster. I missed my gun, but the blade would do. It was my pride and joy, my witch heritage.
The living area smelt of dirt and unwashed bodies. A stained sofa was pushed against the wall, an old cover ruffled up on top of it. Someone had been sleeping in the flat. Who was keeping guard? Or was it Xvair? I somehow doubted the old man could even get down the stairs.
A kitchen area consisted of two cupboards, a fridge and a table top cooker. A pile of dirty plates and empty mugs sat on the drainer next to the sink. Whoever had been looking after Brianna clearly didn't believe in washing up. No wonder it smelt so bad.
Stepping beside me, Dave pointed at the two doors leading off to presumably the bathroom and bedroom. Nodding, I indicated that he take the right hand door, while Archie and I took the other one. I intuitively felt that we were heading into the bedroom. Having Archie with me meant that the vampire would be a comfort to Brianna when we found her.
Both of them moved silently as we approached the doors.
Dave opened one door, going straight into the bathroom with his hands raised, ready to use his magic.
Nothing happened, so I gently thrust open the bedroom door and quickly moved inside, my dagger raised in front of me. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath fast.
“Brianna?” I whispered.
The bedroom was just as dirty as the living room, bed covers strewn all over the place. Someone huddled in the middle of the mattress, their back to us. Brianna's long lush locks were not attached to the person's head. Had they shaved them off or-?
“Nice try!” a masculine voice came from the figure.
Spinning, he pounced, his canines extended. Archie shoved me out of the way, his own teeth protruding as he bared them with a fierce hiss. The skinny vampire wrestled Archie to the ground, his teeth snapping in his face.
My dagger slipped in my palm a sweat burst from every pore. What was happening? Had we got the wrong pub? Had Finlay Harrington set us up?
“Get out!” Archie told me as he punched the vampire straight in the balls.
His screech went through me, almost bursting my eardrums.
My arm flung out before I thought about what I was doing, my fingers latching onto the vampire’s throat. Magic poured through me as I cast a blood vessel bursting spell. His scream got louder as the vessels in the whites of his eyes popped causing blood to pour from his eyeballs.
Pushing him off Archie, I released his neck, trying not to smile too much when he slumped to the floor. Archie scrambled to his feet, brushing his smart suit down in an attempt to get rid of the dust from the carpet.
“Help!” Dave shouted from the other room.
I was out the bedroom before Archie, my dagger extended as well as my free arm. Whoever was hurting Dave would pay. No one threatened my team... or my boyfriend.
“Wait!”
Dave was on his knees, his hands held behind his back by a hulking vampire. I could see that his left shoulder was already distorted, the force of the vampire's pull dislocating it. Holding still, I froze when Brianna stepped out from behind the beast.
“Hello, Gemma,” she said, her pretty face fresh and somewhat bright.
Her jeans and leather jacket were pristine, her makeup perfected. There was no way my friend had been kept captive, which meant...
“You set me up?”
Resisting the urge to vomit, I clasped my stomach as it rolled. Looking at Archie, I scrutinised his face but his eyes were wide, his mouth opening and closing. He hadn't known either.
“What are you doing?” he asked his vampire friend.
Sauntering over, Brianna took a gun out of her pocket, aiming it towards me. “Don't try anything, witchy poo. I know that your mother would very much like to keep you alive. I can't have one of the top Paranormal MI5's agent’s death on my hands now, can I? However, I will kill the others.”
Raising the gun towards Archie's head, Brianna laughed gently. She knew that I was an agent? I had tried to keep that secret, but then again, I hadn't anticipated Xvair's ruthless attempt at getting to me any way that he could.
“What are you doing? You're my friend. Did he brainwash you?”
My hands shook as I kept my weapon in front of me. A quick glance at
