Of Fate & Forbidden Desire (The Gatekeeper Duet #1)

27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It’s nice to know you’ve been missed, but I never want to cause anyone to worry over me… - Charleene

I yanked forward, protected by the seat belt cutting into me as my head flicked towards the seat in front of me. "What?" I asked as they all turned to stare at me, their eyes wide enough I'm scared their eyeballs would fall out.

"You're awake?" Dina asked, barely above a whisper.

"Yes, I believe so." I answered with a little uncertainty, thinking, why are they behaving like I'd died? "So what was all that racket for?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Charleene, do you know what happened?" Ally tentatively asked.

"Yes," I stated, meeting each of their eyes in turn. I'm not stupid, I know what happened to me.

"Are you going to elaborate?" Jace asked carefully, making me frown as more car horns began to blare.

"I will, but not here. We're blocking traffic," I said, glancing behind us at the angry driver who's shaking his closed fist in the air as we stop his journey. "Where are we anyway?"

"We're almost at Glasgow," Ally answered, before turning to Dina and making me snort a laugh when she asks, "Dina, do you need someone else to drive?"

"Nice one, I'm starvin'." I said, as my stomach grumbles and Ally lets out a chuckle. I glanced at Jace's shocked look and wondered how long I'd been… away, "How long? "

Ally, understanding my question, looked at the other two obviously waiting for someone else to answer. However when nobody did, she gave me a small smile and said, "Around twenty-four hours give or take a couple."

"Oh." I commented, lapsing into silence, as I now understand their shocked looks. For me it had felt like so much longer than just a day.

"Dina, drive the bloody car." Jace's demand drew me back to what's happening in the car as he gave her a small shake. Slowly, like a statue coming back to life, Dina moved, putting the car in gear and slowly inching it forward.

My thoughts return to The Inbetween and Eilidh; with her help I now had complete control over my magic, including visions of the future. We'd figured out that my magic had been with me since I was a teen. That my dreams had actually been visions of the future. It explained why my night terrors seemed so real: they had been.

“So who owns this house?” Ally's exclamation split apart the silence, as we pulled up to a wide set of tall, black wrought iron gates. All I could see outside the car were fields upon fields.

"I do," Dina said, making my head flash towards the back of hers. They're the first words she's uttered since my shocking awakening. "It will be perfect for you to train and for Charleene to recover properly. It doesn't have any protective shields in place, but then that's not stopped what's-his-name from finding you before. So it'll have to do."

“Holy crap!” I let slip as gravel crunched beneath the car and a massive Tudor style building came into view as we turned a wide corner, “you’ve been holding out on me.”

Dina drove right up to yellow sandstone steps at the front of the house, “Ok, well get comfy, I’m going into town this afternoon to speak with someone who might know where we can find the Nicnevin Coven.” Dina said to the others before turning to fix me with a very unimpressed glare, “And I think it’s You, Charleene, that has been holding out on me! What the fuck happened back at Gladys’?”

Instead of answering her question, because there's a lot to explain, I said, “I hope you have food in there and tea?”

I'm dying for both, I think releasing my seatbelt and getting out of the new car. Who's is this car anyway? I wondered, shivering in the cold wind that ruffled my unruly hair, as I stood looking up at the house before me, and the others climbed out. I can't believe this is Dina's house.

Dina stood at the front of the sky blue car as she said, ?“The kitchen should be fully stocked, Mrs McClowd should be somewhere on the grounds,”

?“You even have a freakin’ housekeeper?” I squealed, bouncing on the balls of my feet, ignoring Dina's surly tone and the cold.

?“We’ll be talking about your…nap. And soon!” Dina said curtly, disappearing inside.

“She’s pretty pissed,” I commented, voicing my thoughts aloud.

“Well yeah, I’d be pretty pissed if Ally decided to go on a spirit walk and chose not to come back,” Jace declared, leaving me and Ally standing in the drive as he followed Dina.

“It was worth it though,” I whispered without thinking, staring at my palm as a flame flickered into being.

“Holy shit girl!” Ally's voice reminded me that I'm not actually alone. Looking over, I watched as she stared at the controlled flame. “What did you do, during your nap?” she asked, reaching out with her fingers and touching the fire like a child that doesn't understand the danger, “Fuck that’s hot!” she shouted, yanking her hand away as a laugh burst from me.

“Well duh! Ally you really shouldn’t play with fire,” I said, stating the obvious, making her giggle as I linked our arms together like we're best friends instead of people who only met a couple of days before.

Ally quickly explained what I've missed, and why we're in Glasgow, as we walk up the driveway.

?“I know where we’ll find the Nicnevin Coven,” I said, dragging Ally through the enormous front door and pausing. Where the heck is the damn kitchen? I wondered, glancing around the huge entrance hall with its chessboard floor and wide sweeping staircase.

Walking further into the hall, I noticed the tall vases of fresh flowers that stood on small round tables next to the staircase and the people staring at us from the paintings on the wall. Is that Dina? I thought, moving closer to a painting of a woman posing before the house. Yep, that's Dina alright, I chuckled, taking in her unimpressed look.

“Oh,” a woman's voice interrupted my musings as she walked into the hall behind me, “you must be Miss Adrina's guests.” She stated.

“Erm, Yes,” I answered, taking in her dark trousers and neatly ironed white blouse. Her eyes wrinkle in a kind smile as I met her light blue eyes.

“I'm Mrs McClowd, have you just arrived?” She questioned politely.

“We have.” Ally replied, coming to stand next to me.

“Then she will be in the kitchen, please follow me.” Mrs McClowd answers, before walking off down a hall to the right.

Exchanging a look with Ally we followed the small woman. She took us down a long hallway that had small windows with lead criss crossing the glass, which let the sunlight flood inside. We continued following as she opened a small door and led us down a set of uneven concrete stairs, explaining that Dina had replaced the original wooden stairs, to last longer with less maintenance.

"Is the kitchen in the basement?” Ally worriedly asks.

“No, the main house is raised slightly, so the first floor is actually higher than this one.” Mrs McClowd answered, giving her another kind smile over her shoulder.

Nodding, we continued following her as Dina and Jace's voices could be heard.

“There's a clearing past the manicured gardens that we can use.” Dina was explaining as we walked inside.

“I found these two looking a little lost,” Mrs McClowd said on her way over to the giant silver fridge, “Is anyone hungry? ”

“Oh my goodness, yes I'm starving,” I gushed, as my stomach rumbled loud enough that I was surprised the windows didn't shake.

“Do you have any favourites?” Mrs McClowd asked with a beaming grin, that Charleene automatically mirrored.

“Tacos, I would absolutely love Tacos.” I blurted out, clapping my hands in delight.

“Tacos it is then,” she replied, her smile widening at my enthusiastic response, “why don't you all go upstairs and get comfortable in the dining room and I'll bring up the food once it's ready?”

Her words were phrased like a question, however we could all tell that it was more of a demand. As Mrs McClowd busied herself getting everything she needed, we all traipsed back upstairs and followed Dina to an impressive dining room.

It was huge, with a long table standing in the centre and cupboards placed neatly against the walls between the windows. Each one was tall and held all manner of crockery and cutlery. I couldn't stop the grin forming on my lips as I stared around in wonder. Asif she owns this. I thought to myself.

"I think it's beyond time for Charleene to explain just what happened to her.” Dina stated, dragging my attention back to them all as they sat around one end of the table, staring at me expectantly.

“She says that she knows where we'll find the Nicnevin Coven.” Ally bounced in her seat, looking the happiest and most excited I'd ever seen from her.

“What?” Jacin said at the same time Dina asked, “How?”

“Let me start at the beginning,” I said, joining them at the table and explaining everything that had happened to me in The Inbetween. “After I'd freed my magic, Eilidh helped me train it,” I said, showing them all a small flame, making it dance on my palm while a wind tousled their hair. “I've also been gifted the element ‘spirit.’ Which means I can walk with ghosts helping them crossover, divine people's intentions easily and also see visions of the future.” I finished, watching their eyes widen with every word I've spoken .

“And how exactly does that help us find the Nicnevin Coven?” Ally asked, her confusion written clearly all over her face.

“Before I…returned, I was blessed with a vision of a tall stone that stands with trees on one side and a wide field on the other. Facing the wide field I saw the remnants of a big battle and on the very edge stood a large group of witches.” I said, smiling across at her, “I showed the images to Eilidh using The Inbetween and she explained that it was close to Culloden Moor, which is not too far from the Nicnevin's ancestral home of Clava Cairns.”

“That's up near Inverness, which fits with what my contacts said could be a possibility.” Dina agreed.

“They will find us on Culloden Moor in eight days' time.” I said confidently.

"You're going to need warmer clothes.” Dina stated. “It’s a good thing I purchased a cabin up there.”

After Dina's stark revelation that she had a remote cabin in the woods that bordered Culloden Moor, things moved pretty quickly as she dispatched Mrs McClowd to go shopping for warmer clothes and enough food to last us at least nine days. As soon as the housekeeper had returned we'd piled back in the car and had arrived at her cabin as night had fallen.

We were nearing the end of my timeline and everyone was getting angsty as we waited with no sign of the Nicnevin Witches.

We'd just finished another meal of spam and beans when I noticed the lack of sound. “The animals have fled…” I murmured, at the same time as Dina's expletive rangout across the clearing before us.

“Shit! How the hell did they find us?” She asked, standing and as I blinked, she shoved me behind herself. I followed her gaze to see dark, shadowy creatures slinking from the woods. An inhuman screech ripped the night apart and others filed in behind the first line .

“There’s too many,” Ally gasped, as the clearing filled slowly, their howls and growls filling the night air. She shivered, already reaching down and grabbing two gleaming daggers. “Jace, what do we do?”

“We fight,” he replied and the metallic swish of steel met my ears as he drew his own blade. My gaze flicked to him.

“Leave the vampires to me,” Dina said, launching herself towards the amassing horde with a savage growl.

My eyes scanned the growing crowd, picking out those who felt similar to me, like a warmth that spread over my entire body as their eyes ran over me.

“I’ve got the witches.” I said, my tone a lot more confident than I felt as I backed towards the cabin and away from my companions.

I watched in awe as Dina clashed with the creatures; she had a long sword that flashed quickly as her movements started to blur, until I couldn't see her anymore as she got swallowed. Fear spiked low in my stomach, making me want to throw up as I watched Jace disappear and then Ally right behind him. However, I don't have long to wonder how they are fairing, as magic is thrown my way. A fire ball thrown from a dark haired man singed the ends of my hair, forcing me to concentrate on my own fight.

Gritting my teeth, I remembered what Eilidh had told me; you're the strongest witch in generations, do not fear anyone . Her words ring in my head, giving me the confidence to step forward. A maniacal grin spread across my face as I summoned my own fireball. Holding it with two hands and meeting his worried eyes, I threw it with all my might.

My stomach turned over as the warlock screamed in agony and I retched at the scent of burning flesh. I'm not cut out for battle , I thought briefly before another witch was standing before me, far too eager to hurt me from the crooked grin that twisted her lips. Trying not to take too deep a breath, I summoned my air magic, swirling it around me to create both a shield and to grace me with some fresh air. Fixing my eyes on the new witch, I ignored the little voice screaming in my head that this was wrong and threw fireballs at her .

The first two swept past on either side of her body as her cackle got lost in the din of the battle, however she didn't see the third ball that hit her square in the face. I blinked and another foe—a gruesome looking creature this time— stepped forward with its red eyes fixed on me.

Shaking out my feet that were going numb, I summoned two swirling fireballs and launched them right at it, confused when it continued its lumbering run towards me. Switching tactics, I summoned a great gust of air and picked it up from the ground. Its legs flailed about uselessly in the air before I threw it across the battlefield.

“Well, well, well looks like our witchling learned how to fight.” A familiar voice made a shiver race down my spine.

The vampire from under the bridge stood staring at me, his lips turned up in a half smile as his red eyes blazed.

“What? No Huntress to protect you now?” He sneered, making me gulp, as my eyes scanned the area around us. All I found were enemies.

“How…how…” I stammered, shivering and becoming the scared woman I'd been that night.

“How…how,” he mocked, stepping closer and making my shield of wind roar, “such a pathetic little witchling, your vampires hid you well, however my Master has many ways to find what she wants.”

“And who is the one holding your leash?” Dina's voice snapped out from behind him.

“Ah, you were supposed to be too distracted, they promised you would be.” The vampire snarled, clearly annoyed with her appearance as he stepped to the side, so he could keep his eyes on both of us.

“What a pity.” Dina replied, sarcasm dripping from every word.

“I'm only here for the witch.” He said, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.

Dina stepped to the left, moving herself closer to me and edging the vampire further away. “Tough luck, you won't lay a hand on her. I won't let you.”

Her voice was calm, as though she was merely discussing going on a picnic .

“Why do you want me so much?” I said, finally finding my voice again, as Dina stepped closer still, spinning the sword at her side.

“If it was up to me lovey, you'd already be dead, but it's not me that wants you.” He said, watching Dina slink in front of me.

“As I said, over my dead body.” Dina snarled, stepping forward, already swinging her sword at his head.

The twang of steel hitting steel rang around me as I flinched. The vampire met Dina's sword perfectly, and they began a complicated looking dance. Neither one better than the other as they snarled and cursed. I was far too focused on their battle to notice anything else happening around me and almost missed the sudden hush that fell over the clearing.

An influx of magic inside the mass of creatures, dragged not only my attention but that of the two battling vampires as well. Steel clanged against steel one more time as their heads snapped towards the magic that was still rising. The air dropped a few more degrees colder and screams erupted into the air, seconds before I flew backwards.

The wind yanked at my hair and a scream tore from my throat, as I tried to find my new assailant. My eyes bounced over the field, and widened in wonder and fear as I saw Dina follow me, and everyone else began stepping away from a slightly off-central point. The magic I felt earlier continued rising as the sudden wind stopped and I fell to the ground, scraping my arms on the twigs and broken branches of the treeline. Sharing a worried glance with Dina who landed not too far from me, I gave her a brief nod and we both ran back towards, where I could feel the magic growing.

I slowed my steps as static raised the tiny hairs on my arms until they stood on end and I could begin to see a swirling vortex of magics. Creatures shuffled nervously, some even turning tail and running as we drew closer.

“Careful,” Dina warned quietly, as her hand landed on my shoulder so we weren’t separated.

Nodding to let her know I heard, I forged ahead, until I could see Ally standing alone in the centre of the magical tornado. Human and inhuman screams filled the night air and I watched in both horror and confusion as she unleashed her magical storm. It lashed out harshly at our foes; some burned or suffocated where they stood. Others have their necks snapped as some, but not many, manage to escape.

Holding my hand in front of my face, I shielded my eyes, keeping them on Ally. A man with dark hair stood across from her. I saw his mouth move, but couldn’t hear his words before shadows swirled around his body. Ally's eyes just looked straight through him, like he didn’t exist, or she wasn’t hearing him.

A shadow loomed up behind Ally, and its wavering arm pulled back to reveal a pitch black blade. My heart slammed against my ribs and I forced my feet to move faster, pushing against the wind that's battering me. Please let me make it? I mentally shout at any God or Goddess that may have been listening. Its arm pulled back further and then, like a band snapping, everything sped up.

“Alyssa!” Jace screamed from her right, and her head snapped towards him, as the creature behind her thrust its blade forward. A scream tore from my throat as Ally's eyes widened and the blade poked through her stomach.

Ally turned to face the shadow creature, freezing it in place, before her head turned back to Jace, who was also stood frozen in place. I watched in horror as her mouth moved and red blood bubbled from her mouth. She looked down, finally noticing the sword protruding from her body. Her wind dropped and I was finally running faster, but not fast enough. Jace beat us both to Ally as she slid off the blade and falls towards the ground.

“Is she?” Dina's voice startled me as we both watched Ally's eyes lock with Jace and my first tears rolled over my cheeks. Her mouth opened and closed over and over as Jace hushed her and brushed the hair from her face. White flecks join my tears, as the first December snow began falling .

“I've got you.” Jace mumbled over and over as his hands pressed into her stomach, trying to stop her blood from escaping. Tears coursed down his cheeks, dripping onto the backs of his hands as his voice wobbled and broke.

Ally's eyes fell closed and a scream, more similar to an agonised howl, snapped mine and Dina's attention to the pale man with dark hair. His face scrunched in pain and his eyes shone with tears that washed down his face, before shadows encased him and he vanished.

Jace’s eyes don't leave Ally's face, even for a second, as he rocked back and forth. Grief crashed over me like a tidal wave. I may not have known her long but I'd grown close to her. She was the closest thing I had to a friend now.

“I've got you,” Jacin whimpered, his voice a broken whisper as he lowered his head to Ally's hair. I wanted to hide from his pain, from the pain that was splitting my heart in two.

“She's breathing.” Dina's assertive voice was quiet as her eyes narrowed on Ally's chest. Following her gaze, I watched as after a few moments it slowly rose.

?“Jace?” I kept my voice low, not wanting to startle him, “Jacin, she’s still breathing.”

Dina edged around behind him as I spoke, ready to catch him. I watched as my words breached the gulf that losing Ally had caused, and ever so slowly, his head tipped down and he stared at her chest. After a couple of minutes it rose again.

?“Guys, I think you should see this,” Dina said.

She was looking behind me, across the snow covered field, and when I turned to see what had captured her attention, a small smile raised the corners of my lips.

?“I told you they would find us here,” I said and hope rose within me, as I turned back and met Jace’s hazel eyes. “Jacin, she’s going to be ok.”