‘For you to become the spellcaster that you are destined to be.’ He whispered, but somehow it was as if his voice was all around me.
I had seen that word before. ‘Spellcaster’. It had been in my ancestor’s journal. The story of Florence, how she believed she was a ‘spellcaster’. There was no way that werewolves and spellcasters existed. It was just not possible. Was it?
I found it hard to even look at Daniel and so I turned away. It was all too much. Then, I felt a painful grip of my right arm as I was dragged onto my feet.
‘Look at me, Spellcaster.’ His voice was now loud, echoing, and his words seemed to burn through my skin. His grip tightened on every second that I did not acknowledge him.
‘I need you to be mine,’ He barked at me.
With that I felt drawn to him, unable to control my actions. I placed my hands on his mouth, touching his lips, longing to feel them against mine. All thoughts of Ben were washed out from me as I gazed further into Daniel’s darkened eyes.
‘That’s it, Grace, come to me. I can make you feel loved.’ His words were soft and soothing, compared to how he’d just been talking to me. I couldn’t move anymore, as though my body was frozen. It was just like how I’d felt in my dream on the side of the snowy mountains. Daniel tore off my red coat and threw it to the floor. I felt as though I should want to cry or scream, but the tears would not pour out. I was locked into this trance.
Chapter 11.
A n earth-shattering boom ruptured this hypnotic reverie; the doorway to the gym had blasted open and in stepped Natalie and Dominic.
As Daniel’s focus skipped from me to them, I was released from the trance.
They were dressed in camouflage and equipped with weapons. Natalie had come loaded with a bow and arrow; Dominic had twin blades strapped on either side of his legs. I hadn’t noticed before how muscular his legs were.
‘Grace, are you ok?’ Natalie yelled over to me, I gave her a weak wave. She lined up her arrow, ready to fire it at Daniel. Dominic released one of his long knife blades from its strap in preparation.
‘Get away from her, wolf.’ Dominic commanded. He held up his blade, the handle in both hands. ‘You screwed over Natalie, I will not let you do the same to Grace.’
‘You traitors!’ Daniel’s fingernails exploded into claws, he leapt over to Dominic, but he dodged out of his way. His claws slashed at him, but was blocked by the blade. The fight continued; they were so equally matched.
Natalie ran to me as I gathered what was left of my red coat and tears fell down my face.
‘Did he hurt you?’ she asked, tenderly.
I shook my head. I was in shock. Daniel was a werewolf. Florence’s journal was all true. But, why did he call me a spellcaster? I knew nothing about using magic.
‘How did you know where to find me?’
‘We followed you. When you said he’d asked you to meet him, I had a feeling it was a trap.’
‘Who are you guys?’
‘We are wolf hunters, sworn to protect spellcasters and the humans from these beasts.’
‘But I am not a spellcaster. I’ve never cast a spell!’
‘Your time will come, Grace. But, right now I need to get you away from Daniel before he causes you any more harm. He’s been hurting you since the day you met.’
Those words struck me like a lightning bolt. All those times I’d suddenly fallen ill…
‘I know it’s confusing,’ she soothed, ‘and that it’s hard to wrap your head around at first. Some werewolves have their own magical abilities. Daniel has the power to make you feel drawn to him, but he can also drain your life force. Worst of all, his kiss can kill you, if he wanted it to.’
Before she could say anymore, Dominic flew into us. Daniel had used him as a weapon to stop us getting away! I landed hard on the floor and banged the back of my head. I could see that Dominic had taken a real beating. Natalie flipped herself up and shot an arrow straight into Daniel’s left shoulder. He let out a loud roar, grabbed the arrow and pulled it straight out of his shoulder. Blood splattered across the floor.
‘You bitch, that hurt.’ Daniel cursed at Natalie.
‘What do you expect? I have laced it with silver,’ she grinned at him.
I tried to lift my head up off the ground. But when I did, a shooting pain hit the area where I’d landed. I reached my left hand to the back of my head and felt a warm sticky substance: blood, my blood. I had cracked the back of my head open.
Daniel had dodged more arrows and was charging at Natalie. In defence, she threw punches and kicks, but he managed to grab her and slung her across the gymnasium. Dominic was tossed right after her.
Daniel knelt beside me and stroked my cheek.
‘Just lay still, Grace. I will try not to be so rough with you.’ He pinned me down. My head was pounding too much for me to move. Suddenly, there was a shattering of glass and the shards rained over us.
Another grim figure had jumped through a window.
‘Get your ugly self off of her.’
Daniel let out another roar and ran at the intruder.
It was Ben.
His hair and eyes had turned a bright white and he lit up the room. Fists clenched at the ready, he waited for Daniel to approach him. Natalie and Dominic got to their feet and stood back up, watching the fight. Dominic
