《An Illusion》


 Chapter 1

    Sarah groaned as she heard the grinding noise coming from the engine of her rented car. She wasn¡¯t a mechanic but even she instinctively knew that the car didn¡¯t sound right. Glancing down at the dash she passed her eyes over the dials, noticing all the needles pointing in the right directions, but as the ominous noise continued she knew it would be detrimental to the old machine.


    Peering out the windscreen into the dense blackness, which her inadequate headlights barely lit, she hit the brakes as she noticed a dark shadowy figure lunge across the road in front of the car.


    ¡®Damn!¡¯


    Wrenching on the steering wheel she cursed as she barely missed the creature, the action causing her car to careen off the road into a ditch where the old engine made one last grinding noise before conking out completely. She turned the key in the ignition again, only to have the vehicle mock her efforts with its silence.


    Looking out all the gloomy windows Sarah couldn¡¯t see anything nearby in the darkness; no houses, people or even any streetlights. She had somehow ended up on this road in the middle of nowhere after leaving her sister¡¯s wedding earlier that night and was supposed to be back at her hotel to rest before her early flight the next day. Instead, she had no idea where she was.


    She had travelled this road a few days ago to meet her sister. The area had looked very different then and she knew it wasn¡¯t just because the sun had been shining. The car wasn¡¯t equipped with a GPS so somewhere she must have made a wrong turn. Now she had no way of knowing where the hotel was or even how she was going to get the car to start again.


    Picking up her mobile phone off the passenger seat Sarah shook it in a foolish attempt to make it work, after noticing that there was still no reception. This wasn¡¯t the first time she had cursed her mobile provider during the lonely journey as she hadn¡¯t been able to use her brand new phone since she had first realised she was lost, even though the salesperson had assured her it was the best and not a complete waste of money. Throwing the useless phone back beside her she wondered who she would even call. Her sister had already left for her honeymoon and she didn¡¯t know anyone else to rescue her.


    Sarah realised that if she was going to get out of this mess she would have to work out how to fix the car herself. Swallowing inane humour at the thought she carefully checked through all the car''s windows, making sure that the large creature she had almost hit was gone. Deep down she knew she had never seen anything like that creature before. Still, in the inky darkness, she wasn¡¯t about to trust her limited vision and overactive imagination with the brief glimpse she had caught of the animal before she¡¯d crashed.


    Holding her breath and gripping tightly to the flashlight she had removed from the glove box of the car Sarah scanned the darkness carefully before opening the driver¡¯s door, wincing at the squeak from the old hinges in the still night. Stepping out awkwardly in her high-heeled boots onto the uneven road surface she made sure to leave the door open wide in case she needed a quick hiding place. Looking both ways down the road the thin beam from the flashlight confirmed that there were no signs of life nearby to break up the darkness. Sighing she leant back into the car to pop the lever for the bonnet.


    Ignoring the cool breeze that was threading through her bridesmaid dress, she shone the beam of light over the engine knowing with a single look that she was stuck there. She knew nothing about the hoses and wires coming off the deformed hunk of metal in front of her and realised that she was probably going to have to spend the night in the car. Straightening and reaching to close the bonnet suddenly Sarah stood still, the fine hairs on the back of her neck rising in the cool air as some sixth sense told her that she was no longer on her own in the gloom. There was something out there in the darkness watching her. Her skin tingled with the feeling while she listened for any sound which might alert her to the danger.


    Turning slowly she swung the torch beam, illuminating a small area around herself, but it did nothing to the depths of the night. She couldn¡¯t see anything ominous nearby but she knew something was out there. Her heart was beating so hard she could feel it in every nerve in her body, every one of her muscles reacted by both tensing and trembling at the same time. She wanted to turn and get back into the car, and willed her unresponsive limbs to help her save herself, but the ancient fear held her tightly to the spot.


    Just then she heard a welcome sound break through the silence of the night. She had never felt so relieved to hear a car before and her legs buckled, slamming her knee against the front bumper of her car as a dark shiny vehicle pulled up next to hers on the road. Worried about who the driver might be, but knowing it would have to be better than being left there with whatever wild animal was in the darkness, Sarah forced her wobbly legs to move. She leant towards the passenger window as it was being lowered. Peering into the dim interior to see the driver she was pleased that he at least looked normal by the little she could make out by the lights of the dash.


    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ his voice sounded oddly calm and composed in the night. It was so different to how Sarah felt at that moment.


    There was something in his tone that made her think he didn¡¯t care about the answer. It was almost like he was bored but the intensity in his expression, what little she could see by the pale lights, showed otherwise. The man had briefly turned and looked at her before peering out through the front windscreen of his car much as Sarah had done earlier in her own. She wondered fearfully if he too had seen something in the darkness.


    ¡®I¡¯m fine thanks,¡¯ Sarah spoke, hoping her voice, which felt like it was forcing its way up her throat with shards of glass attached, sounded normal to him at least. He was her only hope of avoiding the creature out there in the dark and she didn¡¯t want to scare him off by acting crazy. Maybe he would put her shaking voice down to the cold breeze which was quite successfully freezing her through her clothing, rather than to her fear. ¡®But my car broke down and I can¡¯t get any reception on my phone.¡¯


    She watched as he nodded as if this didn¡¯t surprise him and she wondered if he lived in the area. Her first impression of the man and the few words he had spoken was that he was a tourist like herself. There was something about him that seemed different to the locals she had met on her trip and his accent was hard to place.


    ¡®I can give you a lift if you¡¯d like.¡¯


    ¡®Oh no it¡¯s fine,¡¯ she replied quickly, carefully looking at his face which was still turned towards the road in front of him. It was awkward having a conversation with someone that wouldn¡¯t even look at you and she wondered if she was getting herself into more trouble. She backed up slightly, not liking the idea of getting into the car with a strange person. There was something in his manner that made her uncomfortable. ¡®If I could just use your phone I could ring for some help.¡¯


    ¡®My phone doesn¡¯t work here either.¡¯ He finally turned to look at her and his face wore an open expression at odds with his disjointed sentences.


    Strangely, she felt a small amount of trust developing towards him at the look. It was a disconcerting feeling, as the trust felt out of sync and almost foreign to her. She had never been the type of person to trust another instantly, especially one she had met under such strange circumstances. Rubbing her arms she wasn¡¯t sure if the shiver she had felt was from the cold or the bewildering events of the night.


    He continued talking slowly as if picking his words carefully, his gaze compelling. ¡®Look, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I¡¯m just offering you a lift.¡¯


    Still, she hesitated, looking out at the world-consuming darkness before turning her attention back to the driver.


    He sighed before speaking again, ¡®There are worse things out there than me and if you don¡¯t get into my car quickly you probably won¡¯t survive the night.¡¯


    Sarah took a step away from the dark car thinking he was threatening her. He didn¡¯t move in his seat, hands on the steering wheel as if ready to drive off hurriedly, while he continued to look at her with that odd mixture of expressions that both encouraged her to trust him and urged her to run in the opposite direction. His tone hadn¡¯t sounded threatening, it was his actions and words that seemed at odds with each other. It was almost as if he wanted to reassure her while trying to avoid the whole situation.


    Looking back over her shoulder into the darkness she remembered the feeling of being watched and the fear that had gripped her. Without another thought she opened the passenger side door to his car and slid into the seat, hoping she had made the right choice.


    The driver of the sleek-looking car didn¡¯t say a word as he smoothly drove away from her beaten-up, old, rental. If he¡¯d sped away from her car a bit too quickly and was driving a little too fast Sarah wasn¡¯t about to complain, as she fumbled to clasp her seatbelt. Calming herself with the breathing exercises she had read to help with anxiety she closed her eyes to help settle her racing pulse. The crazy events of the night flashed across the inside of her closed lids and she realised she wouldn¡¯t be able to calm down completely until she was safely back at her hotel. As the driver revved through the gears of the expensive car she remembered that her crazy night wasn¡¯t over yet, and she wondered if she was safe now.


    Hearing a rattle coming from somewhere near the back of the car she quickly looked around and was surprised to see the back seat was full of unusual items. In the darkness, her gaze took in an odd-looking box and some wooden crates of various sizes before she made out a birdcage and a large bag. Curiously she peered into a large box filled with what looked like black material, chains and locks, metal blades as well as other items that she didn¡¯t want to look at too closely.


    ¡®Are you moving?¡¯ the words were out of her mouth in a rush as she turned back to face the man sitting next to her.


    He looked surprised by the question like she had pulled him out of his reverie, before he followed her glance into the back seat and laughed before answering. ¡®No, those are my tools of the trade, so to speak.¡¯


    Sarah knew the confusion she felt showed on her face as she continued to look at him, hoping to see some glimmer of a joke in his words. His expression gave her no reason to doubt that he was serious. She turned back to look again at the strange items - she was sure she had noticed handcuffs - wondering what sort of job would require those ¡°tools¡±.


    ¡®What, are you a magician or something?¡¯ she asked with a snort as she settled the right way in her seat and looked at him again. ¡®Oh, you are a magician! I remember seeing you on TV,¡¯ she couldn¡¯t hide the edge of contempt in her voice towards his profession. ¡®What was your name again ¡°Incredico¡± or ¡°Geronimo¡± or something?¡¯


    ¡®I prefer Tom,¡¯ he answered with a smile, clearly unfazed by her comments. ¡®I take it you aren¡¯t a fan of magic.¡¯


    ¡®Tricks you mean,¡¯ she clarified before continuing, ¡®There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. It¡¯s entertaining and gives people an escape from everyday life.¡¯


    ¡®But what about real magic?¡¯ Tom asked without expression.


    ¡®There¡¯s no such thing as real magic,¡¯ she laughed.


    Leaning her head back on the headrest Sarah relaxed, feeling pleased for quickly solving the mystery of the imposing man next to her. Tom had seemed odd to her at first but knowing what he did for a living she would expect him to be a bit different. Not that she had met a professional magician before, but she surmised that the way he spoke and his mannerisms must be a clever cover and all part of his performance. Remembering his comment about magic Sarah realised it would be part of his job to try to convince people magic was real so his act would seem more genuine. She wasn¡¯t about to fall for his tricks.


    As he drove Tom wondered what he was going to do with her. He should have left her on the side of the road but he knew the dangers out there for someone like her. Still, he couldn¡¯t take her with him, if he did she would be in more danger than he was sure she would have faced before in her life. He glanced over at her briefly, seeing the small smile playing across her features as she talked about the incident with her car, and nodded as if he were listening. She believed the worst of the dangers were behind her now, left on the side of the road with her car, but he knew better.


    He wished he could drive on with her, take her to a hotel, find something more suitable for her or take her back to wherever she had come from. Sighing he knew that there was no way for him to avoid continuing his journey. He had resisted too long while waiting for her to make up her mind to join him and he had felt the effects. It had drained him. He was confused and weary and every moment spent away from his enforced path was a torture he didn¡¯t have the strength left to bear. He had no choice but to bring her along.


    Tom chewed on the problem uselessly, knowing there wasn¡¯t an alternative. He had considered and dismissed all other options the moment he had seen her innocently standing next to the broken-down car, yet he still worked it around in his mind. Making a noncommittal reply to her question when he heard her pause he realised he had no idea what he was answering. He might have just agreed to give her a million dollars. Thinking he probably would too if it could get them both out of this situation he continued to let himself be compelled forward, knowing that things were not going to be pleasant for the woman who had innocently placed her faith in him.


    Having no choice was little comfort. Hating himself for what he had to do, Tom started turning into the partially concealed driveway of the place he had been travelling to before rescuing the woman.


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    ¡®Oh, is there a hotel here?¡¯


    He heard her na?ve comment as the large imposing building came into view.


    ¡®This is where I¡¯m staying. You might as well stay the night too and we can work out something with your car in the morning.¡¯


    He wondered if his voice sounded as hollow to her as it did to him.


    Pulling up the car near the door of the building Tom felt the impulse calm inside him, he was now where he was supposed to be. He gritted his teeth against the sensation and took a deep breath before moving to open his door.


    ¡®You know you haven¡¯t even asked my name. It¡¯s Sarah.¡¯


    Tom looked back at her and nodded briefly. He wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to know her name as it would probably just make the guilt worse. Looking up at the old, sprawling, dark mansion while exiting his car he knew that even one night in the place could be the worst experience of her life; if she even survived it.


    Tom removed his overnight bag from the back of the car, slinging it over his shoulder before walking around and opening the passenger side door for Sarah. He hoped the small act of gallantry would gain her trust, the trust could help. Moving towards the building he couldn¡¯t stop feeling that he was walking her toward the gallows. He watched her inconspicuously as he followed her towards the front door, her long strides and confident posture making him wonder if she was capable of handling the night. Maybe if he was a good enough performer she wouldn¡¯t even notice.


    Sarah walked towards the hotel thinking that in the darkness of the night it looked like something out of a horror movie. The dark fa?ade of the building looked eerie against the night and only a small light above the door illuminated their path. As she opened the front door and moved into the building she felt her first assessment of the place was still appropriate. The dim lighting and the old-world d¨¦cor of the place made it feel that upon entering she had travelled back in time, and maybe even to another world entirely.


    Remembering the creature outside in the dark and the prospect of spending the night in her car, she pushed aside any misgivings and told herself that the hotel would do for one night. Looking around she surveyed the imposing old furniture and thick curtains. The large room she had found herself in looked impressive, but it wasn¡¯t her style of decorating. The heavy red and black d¨¦cor was depressing under the dim lighting of the large chandelier that was unable to reach into the far corners.


    Noticing the fireplace against one wall Sarah thought that it could have helped to make the place seem a bit more inviting but the dark ashes in the hearth contributed to the gloomy feel. Seeing the dust on the furniture she hoped her room would be clean. Still, as a favourite pastime of hers was going through boxes of old books to see what treasures might be hiding inside she was sure she could handle a bit of dust.


    She sensed Tom¡¯s hand behind her, close to her back but not touching, and allowed him to guide her towards the large wooden desk sitting inconspicuously near one wall and the elderly woman sitting behind it. They were the only three people in the otherwise deserted room. As she approached she noticed the look of angry surprise the frail woman gave her.


    The woman looked like an old-world bookkeeper with her glasses perched on the end of her nose and her hair scraped back into a tight bun on top of her head. She sat behind a large desk scattered with papers and Sarah looked around for a check-in counter. Not seeing any she realised that the woman was the receptionist and she wondered how many stars the hotel had.


    Once they were standing in front of the desk, as if they were naughty children called to the principal, suddenly the old woman stood up quickly and held herself motionless. Sarah thought the action was odd in its unconscious movement but then the woman began a restless head bobbing and an almost unnoticeable waving of her body. The dated crushed-velvet dress she wore was almost mesmerising as her movements caused the material to alter between various shades of violet.


    The woman turned her attention to Tom with effort, before speaking to him as if he were the only person standing in front of her. Sarah noticed he had dropped his overnight bag and instead a deck of cards had ¡°magically¡± appeared in Tom¡¯s hand. He began spinning, shuffling and cutting the deck as if unaware of his actions.


    ¡®You made good time then,¡¯ the old woman said gruffly. Her false teeth looked too large for her small face and made her words sound like they were rolling around her mouth like marbles.


    ¡®Not a good night to be out late,¡¯ Tom replied conversationally, the cards still spinning absentmindedly in his hand.


    Sarah was surprised by his response. The weather outside was fine, if a bit cool, there were no clouds or rain and she didn¡¯t think he would be one to be scared of the dark. Remembering the feeling of being watched and the beast she had nearly hit Sarah refrained from saying anything, silently agreeing that it was better to be indoors.


    ¡®He¡¯s not here yet,¡¯ the woman continued, her voice dripping with concealed meaning.


    The ¡°he¡± in question was evidently known to both of them and there was some significance in his absence. Sarah didn¡¯t expect to get enlightened as she saw Tom nod.


    ¡®Do you have a spare room for my ¡­ eh ¡­ friend?¡¯ Tom asked the lady, the look on his face intense as if conveying a message of deeper importance.


    The woman returned Tom¡¯s look with one of stone and didn¡¯t seem inclined to answer for a moment. She had appeared restless during the short exchange and couldn¡¯t seem to stay still, her body¡¯s waving motion becoming more agitated and stilted as they continued to stand there. Eventually, she turned and gave Sarah one quick sweeping glance before nodding slowly.


    ¡®Rooms aren¡¯t full yet, they will be in a few days though. She can have the room across from yours. Might want to lock the door well.¡¯


    On that cryptic note, she passed two keys to Tom and turned away without giving Sarah another glance. Not liking her manner Sarah was about to say something but wondered if the woman was alright, her behaviour had seemed odd and she wondered if it was something medical. Tom was headed towards the sweeping stairway that led towards the upper floors, the curve of the stairs hinted at mysteries around the bend and she hoped that those mysteries would be more pleasant than the ones she had already experienced as she scurried after him, her heels and long dress making scurrying even harder.


    As they climbed the ornate staircase Sarah glanced at the elaborately framed pictures they passed, wondering if they were people that had belonged to the place at some time or just something picked up to fit in with the theme of the hotel. The stairs were much like the room downstairs, with faded wallpaper and worn carpet and she wondered if the rest of the building was as old-fashioned. Approaching the top she realised that the stairs only led to the first floor, but she knew by the size of the building that there had to be more staircases to the other floors.


    Surveying the first floor she was surprised by the depth of the corridor in front of her. Eventually, Tom stopped at one of the doors that looked exactly like every other door she had seen and put the old-fashioned key in the matching old lock. Sarah looked back down the hallway they had walked trying to get some bearings of where she was, looking for a landmark to signify her room as she had noticed there were no numbers on the doors. She wondered how she would ever find her room again if she left it.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be right across the hall if you need anything.¡¯ Tom indicated an identical door directly across from hers. ¡®Lock the door and don¡¯t come out of your room no matter what you hear during the night, and wait for me to come and collect you in the morning.¡¯


    ¡®But won¡¯t I need to come out of my room if I need you?¡¯ Sarah was confused and a little scared by the cryptic messages. She didn¡¯t know the area very well, having travelled down the length of the country for her sister¡¯s wedding, but she didn¡¯t think this was a particularly bad area full of thugs and murderers.


    ¡®If you need me just call out loudly, I¡¯ll hear you.¡¯


    Not feeling overly confident with this information but not wanting to continue the puzzling conversation, she entered her room but only after Tom had pressed the key firmly into her hand as if making sure she would understand the importance. Shutting the door she was careful to lock it, rattling the old handle to make sure the lock had slid into place properly before placing the key on the wooden dresser beside the door.


    She looked around the room quickly, noticing the lighting was much like the room below courtesy of a dim chandelier, before making her way over to the large four-poster bed complete with thin, lacy white curtains. Shaking her head she ran her hand over the burgundy quilt cover thinking that the designer of the hotel had to try to come into a more recent century if not willing to completely embrace modern times. Sarah looked down at her dress and wondered if her sister had had a psychic moment when she had picked to have a themed wedding. She was sure she matched the old-fashioned d¨¦cor beautifully with the long, silvery gown she wore.


    Smiling to herself she thought that Deanne should have had her honeymoon in this hotel. She had been adamant about the authenticity of her wedding and her dress had been every inch of the Victorian era. Sarah had been glad that a simpler dress had been chosen for herself, still in the same style but lacking the full skirt and elaborateness. Still, her sister had insisted on her wearing the appropriate style of boots and accessories which was helping Sarah to feel that she had indeed travelled back in time. Although looking around her at the dark colouring and heavy furnishings she would say the hotel had more of a Gothic feel about it.


    Rolling her eyes at the large Persian rug in the centre of the room Sarah walked over to the window and pulled aside the heavy curtains, noticing that they were the same shade of deep red as the quilt. The darkness outside was complete. The hotel didn¡¯t seem to believe in outdoor lighting, except for the small globe outside the front door, and the moon was so pale that any light it gave seemed to be swallowed up before it could make an impact on the world. She smoothed the curtains back into place and decided that there was no hope of going anywhere tonight. Her rental car was dead and her mobile was still on the front passenger seat where she had left it.


    Sitting down on an antique leather armchair placed at an odd angle to the window and giving her a view of nothing but the bed, she pulled off her old-fashioned boots with relief before moving to unzip the bridesmaid dress she wore. Shaking her head at her foolishness for leaving her suitcase behind in her car she carefully hung the dress in the wardrobe knowing she had nothing else to wear. She hoped she wouldn¡¯t get too many stares the next day when she would have to wear it at breakfast. Remembering the style of the downstairs room she thought fleetingly that she might fit in better in the dress than with her normal clothing.


    Turning on the small bedside lamp she was hesitant to turn off the chandelier, even though the lighting was meagre it was better than being in the dark. She hadn¡¯t been afraid of the dark since she was a child but the feeling of being lost and alone outside with wild creatures had left her with a preference for seeing into the shadows. Taking hold of her fears she flicked the surprising modern light switch on the wall, before racing back to the scant light of the bedside and the safety it represented. Hating herself for the weakness she resolved to leave the small light on for the night and started shifting the unnecessary amount of cushions from the bed.


    Sarah pulled back the heavy quilt and climbed into bed in her underwear, glad that the colder weather had convinced her to wear layers under her dress. Her sister hadn¡¯t provided a jacket or shawl saying that she was certain it would be enough that the dress had long sleeves, and now she was more covered in her long-sleeved camisole, full slip, stockings and underwear than she would normally wear to bed at home. The heavy d¨¦cor and the events of the night were helping her imagination to run towards the bizarre and she could imagine her vulnerability if she had been forced to sleep naked in the strange hotel.


    Sleep didn¡¯t come quickly to Sarah, her mind was full of the unusual circumstances she had found herself in and the cryptic messages from Tom. Lying on the strange bed in a strange room wasn¡¯t helping either, especially when the wispy curtains around her shifted slightly in a breeze she couldn¡¯t feel. Pushing aside the mental image of the dark creature in the night she instead focused on the happier memories of the past few days and lay there trying to imprint the picture of her sister in her mind as she had seen her earlier that day; the smiling bride.


    She had been saving for months to fly to Deanne¡¯s wedding and even then had only been able to afford the budget variety of holidays. Sarah knew she only had herself to blame for the rented old bomb of a car she had left on the side of the road that hadn¡¯t got her back to her hotel, everyone had warned her. It had all been worth it though to see her sister so happy and excited on her wedding day. She had thought how nice it would have been if her parents had still been alive to celebrate the day with them but had tried to make up for their absence by being everything to her younger sister. Now her sister was flying off on her honeymoon and Sarah was stuck in a strange old hotel in the middle of nowhere.


    As sleep slowly came to claim her turbulent mind she was sure she noticed something in the corner of her room but she was already too lethargic to focus. She thought she saw a woman, watching her silently, but her eyes were too heavy and her mind already dreaming as exhaustion overtook her heavy muscles. Sarah drifted off into a deep sleep. Any thoughts of monsters or ghosts were soon forgotten as she entered the innocence of dreams.


    Sleep didn¡¯t come quickly for Tom, but it would have helped if he was at least lying down in bed. Instead, he was pacing the room flicking through his favourite deck of cards, well-worn and comfortable in his hands, as he wondered what he was going to do with the woman across the hall. He hadn¡¯t been exaggerating the danger when he had spoken to her, even though he knew a flimsy door lock wouldn¡¯t protect her at least his words might make her more alert to danger. The danger he had placed her in by bringing her there.


    Although he kept telling himself that he had no other choice he couldn¡¯t help but feel responsible for her safety, there wasn¡¯t anyone else that could help her or even would. He wondered again why she had broken down out there, or even how she had broken down out there, and couldn¡¯t help feeling that there was something more behind the innocent scene. Tom grimaced as he continued pacing, he felt like a puppet with no clue who was pulling the strings and he hated the feeling. It frustrated him to not know why he was being played, first he had been forced to come here and now he had the safety of another to worry about.


    He ran through the options, again, and once again dismissed them all immediately. Take her to a hotel, his mind screamed, but it was far too dangerous for him to travel anymore tonight and dangerous for her to be found with him. Give her his car, it went on relentlessly, but he didn¡¯t know if she could even get back out of this realm, let alone how she got into it in the first place.


    The road he had found her on and the building they were staying in was not in the human world. It was just on the edge of her world, in a hazy in-between of different realms and close enough to be found by the right people, like him, but it shouldn¡¯t have been found by anyone like her. If he sent her out on her own he knew she could be aimlessly driving around in circles until eventually the creatures found her ¨C and they would find her. There were too many of them travelling through the realm at the moment.


    Take her back to her car and just drive away quickly, this thought was the quietest in his mind, almost the whisper of a demon sitting on his shoulder. He had to admit it had appeal. No one would know what had happened; only him. He dismissed the notion knowing it was foolish, like it or not he was stuck with her, at least for the night.


    Finally, Tom stopped pacing and shook his head, he knew what he had to do but he didn¡¯t like the idea of spying on her. Quickly pocketing his cards he closed his eyes and held out his hands, palms up as if he were holding a small ball. Whispering the words aloud he opened his eyes and focused on the space between his hands until there was a small ball between them. The ball was hazy and made up of an array of colours like a tiny rainbow or a bubble, but the colours were nameless as they weren¡¯t found in the human world and where they were found there wasn¡¯t anyone that could be bothered to name them. Right in the middle of the sphere surrounded by the light and fog of his making was Sarah, asleep in her bed in the other room.


    Placing the ball of light down on the bedside table, Tom finally allowed himself to collapse onto his bed as well. He lay there fully clothed, exhausted from the past few days and the stress he had been under. His body ached from travelling non-stop for days, first to try to get away and then he had been caught and the compelling had begun.


    He had fought it at first, tried to resist, but it had been futile and the urge hadn¡¯t been sated until he had started moving towards this place. It had been a small victory to take his time and drive the distance, an act of rebellion that he would choose how quickly he would travel and when he would arrive. An act of rebellion that had taken its toll, his body and mind were exhausted from the constant pressure. Still, as the darkness of sleep claimed him, his last thought was of Sarah. He remembered the orb and sighed, content to know that he was at least able to keep an eye on her during the night.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Sarah awoke to what seemed like a perfectly normal day. Stretching comfortably on the soft mattress, it took a few seconds for the events of the night to come back to her and for her to realise where she was. Opening her eyes, she noticed the room was only marginally lighter than it had been during the night and she glanced over to the large window. The thick curtains obscured any sunlight from outside, allowing only the palest glow to creep in around the edges.


    Making her way over to the window she pulled open the heavy curtains and looked outside unhappily. Clouds had come over during the night and it looked like it was going to be a miserably wet day. She knew the rain could pose another obstacle to fixing her car and didn¡¯t relish the thought of going out in it. Turning back to the bed she considered going back to sleep, pulling the covers over her head and just relaxing for the day. Remembering Tom and the strangeness of the hotel she resolved to go back to her car and hopefully to her hotel, it wasn¡¯t as if a few clouds and a bit of rain would hurt her.


    Thinking of the cheap yet modern hotel she had booked she hoped it would have a vacancy for her still as she had only booked the one night. She knew she was too late to catch her flight back home, so she would have to find a way to contact the airport to arrange another ticket. She groaned at the thought of paying for another flight, the extra hotel costs, plus the lost wages if she had to take longer off work. Still, she determined that one way or another she would work it out as any hotel had to be better than the one she was staying in now.


    Finding a door in the corner of the room she prayed it wasn¡¯t just a cupboard. Opening it she was relieved to find a bathroom of sorts. Feeling grateful for the privacy, as she had almost expected to have to use a communal bathroom at the end of the hallway, Sarah cleaned up briefly before putting back on her only dress and trying to fix her hair back into the complicated swirls of the day before. It was easier than trying to shape the thick mass in any other way with the amount of hairspray and pins the hairdresser had used that she had been too tired to take out properly the night before. She was sure the hairstyle looked nothing like the original creation and wondered what the hairdresser would think if she could see Sarah¡¯s attempt. The neatly styled mass of curls that had been pinned at the back of her head and along one side to frame her face was now messy and spiky and had the organised look of a bird¡¯s nest, but at least her hair was up.


    Making her way to the door she unlocked it with the key she had left nearby. As she pulled open the heavy wood, she was surprised to find Tom outside in the hallway as if waiting for her. The image of the neatly dressed performer from the night before had been replaced but he didn¡¯t seem any less intimidating in the jeans and shirt he wore. This was a man that didn¡¯t need certain clothing to impress people. She wondered if he was still performing.


    ¡®Good morning,¡¯ she hoped her tone was friendly and not coated with the suspicion she felt. He had startled her but she wasn¡¯t about to let him know it. ¡®I was hoping you might give me a lift back to my car today, I left my phone behind but hopefully, I can call a mechanic from here.¡¯


    Tom¡¯s grunt didn¡¯t answer her question.


    Sarah decided not to push him on the topic, assuming he wasn¡¯t a morning person and followed him wordlessly towards the stairs but not before taking a mental note of where her room was located in case she needed to come back on her own. As they descended, her first glimpse of the downstairs startled her as she noticed with curiosity that the room was quite full. Obviously, the hotel was more occupied than she had realised but it was the noise that momentarily overwhelmed her as the crowds of people were all talking excitedly in what sounded like different languages, and they were all talking at once. Slowly while they descended, she became aware of the talking quieting and eventually as they reached the bottom of the staircase the noise ceased altogether.


    Entering the foyer Sarah looked around briefly with discomfort, noticing that everyone in the room seemed to be staring at her. Glancing down in embarrassment she realised it was because of the elaborate and old-fashioned dress she was wearing, she could understand she would look out of place. She waited in the pregnant silence not wanting to look at the people in the room that she could feel were all looking at her. The silence continued for what felt like an eternity as she wondered why they kept staring, instead of going back to their animated conversations of before, surely her manner of dress wasn¡¯t that interesting.


    Before she could muster up any bravado to face the rude people, she felt Tom¡¯s hand on her arm leading her through the room towards the desk they had approached the night before.


    ¡®We¡¯re going out,¡¯ he spoke clearly to the lady sitting behind the desk but his voice reached every corner of the still quiet room.


    Sarah stared at the woman he had spoken to, thinking that she looked a lot like the lady that had given them the keys the night before. Only, instead of the thin, gaunt woman they had met the woman behind the desk now was huge. The women were so similar Sarah assumed they must be twins, the only distinguishing detail between them the obvious difference in their weight. She noticed the necklace tight around the woman¡¯s thick neck with a large gemstone nearly cutting into her flesh and was sure she was right about the siblings as she recalled the other woman had been wearing a matching one. Although, it had been a lot looser around the other sister¡¯s bony neck.


    As she watched the woman, she realised that her movements were calmer than her sisters had been, there was a confidence to her that gave her large frame an almost mesmerising fluid motion. Her face wore a satisfied look that Sarah couldn¡¯t picture on the other woman¡¯s bony features. Remembering the first woman¡¯s halting movements and unusual body language and comparing it to the woman in front of her now, she quickly decided that this sister didn¡¯t make her feel any more at ease. Her sinuous movements reminded Sarah of a snake or some other creature that would make her skin crawl.


    For some unknown reason, she found the situation disturbing. Even with all the differences, looking at the woman Sarah had an eerie sensation that she had met her, not just having met her sister. She would have sworn the elderly woman in front of her was the same person she had seen the night before. Surely someone couldn¡¯t get so big overnight.


    ¡®Do you have a phone I can use?¡¯ Sarah asked politely while giving the older woman a look that she hoped would tell her that she wasn¡¯t to be messed with. She had noticed the woman had completely ignored her, much like her sister had the night before, and was sick of being treated like she wasn¡¯t an important customer. Plus, the still silent room behind her was getting on her nerves.


    The woman returned Sarah¡¯s look with one that would melt the strongest will and Sarah quickly dropped her eyes again.


    ¡®Phone doesn¡¯t work,¡¯ she said simply, her tone underscored with mocking.


    Sarah eyed the old, black, turn-dial telephone on the corner of the desk near the other woman¡¯s elbow. Looking at it she suspected it probably didn¡¯t work but then why would she have it on the desk right next to her? Sighing internally she decided not to push the subject. It looked like this old, creepy hotel was going to live up to every stereotype.


    Instead of trying out her failed look of importance on any of the other people in the room Sarah turned her eyes to the large curtains covering all of the windows, every moment aware of the silence. She wondered why they didn¡¯t open the curtains, the day outside was miserable but surely even a little bit of sunlight was better than everything being closed up. The room felt stuffy and removed from reality with the artificial lighting and a musty smell lingered in the still air. As she looked closer, she realised that the curtains weren¡¯t exactly like the ones in her room, these were nailed to the wall so that they couldn¡¯t be opened. Shuddering at the thought she was glad that she wouldn¡¯t be spending another night in the strange hotel.


    Tom still hadn¡¯t released his hold on her arm and didn¡¯t seem to be letting go, so she waited for him to finish his conversation with the old woman.


    ¡®You can¡¯t go out there, Tom,¡¯ the woman continued speaking as if the interaction with Sarah hadn¡¯t occurred. ¡®It¡¯s really bad out there now.¡¯


    Sarah looked at her wondering what she could mean, the clouds outside her bedroom window earlier hadn¡¯t been that menacing. Still, with all the windows covered and the thick walling of the old building, there could probably be a cyclone outside and you wouldn¡¯t know it.


    ¡®A ¡­ storm ¡­ blew in,¡¯ the woman seemed to be picking her words with difficulty. ¡®Abbey just arrived and it seemed to be almost chasing her.¡¯


    Tom didn¡¯t seem to question the woman¡¯s weather-predicting abilities although they sounded a bit melodramatic to Sarah.


    ¡®If she goes back to her room now, I¡¯ll get you both some breakfast,¡¯ the plump woman continued before her small, black eyes pinned Sarah with a look of pure contempt. ¡®I don¡¯t think the dining room will be fit for someone like her,¡¯ she added, looking Sarah up and down as she did so.


    Indignation flared in Sarah at her words. She had never been treated like this before and was not impressed about having to deal with this woman¡¯s attitude on top of everything else she had endured. Worse still Tom looked as if he agreed with the woman, or was certainly not defending Sarah in any way. A few witty comments flashed through her mind that she would have loved to hurl at the smug woman in front of her but they all tripped over uselessly on her tongue.


    Resigned that she had no choice but to return to her room Sarah tried to regain her composure, not wanting to make more of a fool of herself or make a scene in front of the curious onlookers. Removing Tom¡¯s hand from her arm, if a bit forcefully, she turned and quickly, yet, she hoped, gracefully made her way through the still quiet room, her heels soundless in the thick carpet. Keeping her head up but not looking at any of the faces around her she ignored the strained silence and the looks she knew she was getting while making her way back towards the stairs. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t completely ignore the conversation between Tom and the old woman as she left, not that they were talking overly loudly but their voices carried through the large room.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have brought her here Tom.¡¯


    ¡®I know but what else could I do? I couldn¡¯t leave her on the side of the road. You know she wouldn¡¯t have survived the night.¡¯


    ¡®But how long is she going to survive now?¡¯


    Sarah moved quickly up the stairs not wanting to hear more.


    Back in the relative safety of her room, Sarah made sure to lock the door again, not feeling very reassured when she heard the metal latch click into place. She couldn¡¯t believe what had happened downstairs, was it that terrible of her to wear a bridesmaid dress to breakfast that it caused that unnerving silence? What about that woman dismissing her to her bedroom, was that any way to treat a guest?


    Still, as she flopped down miserably on her bed she realised she wasn¡¯t in any position to argue. Remembering the strange feeling from the other hotel guests she knew she didn¡¯t want to be downstairs in the first place.


    ¡®So, what would the lady like to eat?¡¯ Elinor asked Tom, having left her desk, and the argument they had been having and moving to the kitchen to get Sarah some breakfast. Tom followed the portly woman trying to disguise his revulsion. He had known Elinor for years but there were some things about her that he still couldn¡¯t get used to and he wondered how Sarah would react if she ever found out.


    As they entered the large dining room, which was thankfully empty, Tom moved his attention from the old woman and instead surveyed the odd assortment of ¡°food¡± laid out. He groaned as he wondered again what had possessed him to bring Sarah to this place. Dismissing the offered breakfast, Tom instead produced a tray complete with coffee, toast and fruit. It was something he hadn¡¯t needed to come into the dining room to do, but he wanted things to appear as normal as possible for Sarah and a tray of food materialising out of thin air was far from normal. As a magician, he could probably get away with it but he wasn¡¯t sure how far he would be able to push her and he didn¡¯t want to have to deal with any hysterics.


    Telling Elinor that he would take it up to Sarah himself, as the last thing he wanted was another confrontation, he teleported up to the first floor where he and Sarah were staying. He hoped that he hadn¡¯t left her on her own for too long. Earlier he had spoken to Elinor that he wished for Sarah to be left alone, completely alone, and he knew she would have passed on his words to the other visitors in the building. Tom knew he would be listened to, it wasn¡¯t a good idea for the others to upset him, but he also knew that the good behaviour would only last for so long.


    The situation left a hollow feeling of hopelessness in his gut. The feeling got worse as he wondered again what he was going to do with Sarah, especially as he still couldn¡¯t go outside. Elinor had been careful in her wording earlier but he had understood her message and her fear. The clouds were outside the building, closer than before. This was bad. Tom hoped it was a coincidence but couldn¡¯t be sure, he had thought they would have more time.


    Worried about Sarah seeing him materialise on the landing in front of her room Tom made sure to reappear slightly further down the hall. As he approached her room his suspicions that he had been wrong to leave her alone were confirmed as he noticed in the shadows two men-shaped creatures approaching her door. They hadn¡¯t been as put off by his message as he thought. He would talk to Elinor again.


    Tom watched in horror as Sarah¡¯s door opened, the noises of the hungry creatures in the hallway must have been enough to draw her out. He had placed a warding spell on her door the night before which would stop any creatures from being able to open it, but it wouldn¡¯t stop Sarah from coming and going as she pleased, or even letting something else in with her. Rushing to intercept the two that were intent on moving through the now open door Tom blocked the entrance with his body, placing himself in front of the creatures with Sarah at his back, the tray firmly clasped in front of him.


    ¡®Sorry guys, you¡¯ll have to look somewhere else for breakfast,¡¯ Tom said with a false smile before firmly closing the door on them.


    ¡®That was rude.¡¯


    He was surprised by the note of scorn from the woman behind him before realising she didn¡¯t know he had just saved her life. ¡®Believe me, they¡¯re not the kind of men you want to be polite to.¡¯


    Setting the tray of food down on the dressing table Tom turned to the woman in the long flowing dress. She had moved away while he entered the room and was standing over near the window, the curtains were thrown wide letting a faint glimmer of sunlight through. Tom was suddenly overwhelmed by a strangely surreal feeling. It was almost like she belonged in the building, her clothes and the room making him feel as if he had been transported back in time. Even her hairstyle added to the look.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Shaking his head at the thought, Tom took a large swig of the cooled coffee to help bring his mind back to the present and also to the danger she had placed herself in. ¡®And what happened to not opening the door for anyone?¡¯


    ¡®I thought that was just for last night. Am I a prisoner of this room now and not allowed to talk to anyone?¡¯ her hands were on her hips as she spoke.


    ¡®You¡¯re not a prisoner, I can take you back to your car any time,¡¯ Tom bluffed while keeping his tone low and patient, he knew there was no point taking her to a broken-down car and he could see she knew it too. He absentmindedly put his cup down and retrieved his deck of cards from his jeans pocket out of habit, feeling comforted by the familiar action.


    ¡®Actually, it would be good to get my things from my car. Thanks for offering.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s not a good time to go outside,¡¯ Tom responded, quickly covering his surprise at her calling his bluff as he cast his eyes over the clouds outside her open curtains. She copied his action, looking outside before turning back to him with a dark brow raised in amused curiosity, waiting for his explanation. He was sure that to her the weather outside looked cloudy but safe, yet he knew it wasn¡¯t rain hiding in those clouds.


    Tom couldn¡¯t suppress his sigh as he realised he wouldn¡¯t be able to convince her of the danger outside. Just as in here wasn¡¯t safe for her out there wasn¡¯t safe for him, and her as well if she was with him. He would have to stall.


    Her voice jarred him from his thoughts. ¡®I mean, I can¡¯t just sit here all day and stare at the walls.¡¯


    Tom laughed as he walked towards the door. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t stare at them too long, they might just start to stare back.¡¯


    Sarah wasn¡¯t sure by Tom¡¯s last words if he was going to take her back to her car or not. It would be good to have her phone, even if it didn¡¯t work, and her wallet so she could pay for her room in the creepy hotel. She realised she hadn¡¯t even asked how much the hotel cost per night, although she wouldn¡¯t be impressed if the rates were too high. Remembering the way the woman downstairs had treated her she hoped she would be able to afford it and not give the woman the satisfaction of knowing that she was broke.


    Shaking her head, she couldn¡¯t believe she had walked away from her car without grabbing her suitcase or even her bag or phone first. She had been scared at the time but still, a little common sense would have been good. As she berated herself, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had come over her to make her act so impulsive. She had never been the spontaneous type and was often teased by her friends at her inability to go with the flow, preferring a well-organised agenda and clear contingency plans. The fact that she had gotten into a car with a stranger leaving all her possessions behind without another thought went against her nature, especially when the stranger had acted so strangely.


    Thinking back on their odd encounter she wondered at her absence of fear towards Tom. Even the odd assortment of possessions hadn¡¯t terrified her as she was sure they should of. She had felt a calmness in his presence that was from outside her being as if he was exuding it almost physically and it seemed like her common sense and natural inhibitions had been chased away by it. Sarah laughed absurdly at the thought, she had been foolish enough to forget her things and she knew she had no one else to blame but herself.


    Gazing out the window she looked for any movement out in the dreary daylight. There was no way to tell what time it was as her watch hadn¡¯t gone with the bridesmaid outfit and had been packed away into her suitcase. She was sure she had slept late that morning, something that was out of character for her as she liked the comfort of a good routine and felt herself flailing in her current predicament. She had never been the adventurous type, preferring to leave all the intrigue, drama and turmoil to the characters in the books she enjoyed. Her idea of a good night was to curl up in her favourite chair with a book and a glass of wine and going interstate for her sister¡¯s wedding was about as crazy as it got.


    Sighing to herself she realised that even though she had never wanted an adventure she had found one and it looked like the only person that would be able to get her through it was herself ¡­ and Tom. The groan that involuntarily escaped her at this thought surprised Sarah and she didn¡¯t know which part scared her more. She didn¡¯t know Tom well enough to dislike him but the thought of putting her trust in him was enough to make her worry. Could she trust a man that made a living from lying and playing tricks on people?


    She remembered seeing Tom on TV while channel surfing one night. Even though she hadn¡¯t intended to watch, and had never been a fan of magic tricks, she had been spellbound and left wondering. This thought had been echoed repeatedly all through her next day at work by both co-workers and even a few customers. Many people had enjoyed his act and were happy to spend their time, and hers, trying to work out his ¡°magic¡±.


    Maybe if he turned off the showmanship for a while and just acted like a normal person she might be able to trust him a little, but going by his behaviour so far she wasn¡¯t sure he was capable of that. Remembering his cryptic comments and his questioning her belief in real magic she couldn¡¯t help feeling that she was just an audience to him, being kept at arm¡¯s length so she couldn¡¯t see what was up his sleeves. She couldn¡¯t put her finger on exactly what it was but there was something about him that just didn¡¯t seem honest and she didn¡¯t think it was just his profession.


    Sarah mentally sorted out all that she knew about the man and quickly realised it wasn¡¯t much. There had been nothing in his mannerisms or accent to indicate where he had come from originally and his polite but stand-offish attitude hid his personality. She thought there seemed to be something foreign about him but it wasn¡¯t something she could easily define. Remembering that the introduction on the TV show had said he travelled the world with his magic she assumed that it must have worn away any evidence of his original nationality.


    She knew that he made a lot of money from what he did. Even if she hadn¡¯t heard of him before they had met, his car and image would have been enough to inform her, so she could assume he was good at his profession. This was the thought that scared her a little. There were a lot of missing pieces in her mental picture of this strange man and while he focused on his performance she knew there was no chance of getting to know him better. He seemed to be helping her, and she had to admit that so far he had saved her from the side of the road, but she wished he would just act a little bit more human.


    Turning away from the window Sarah started to move towards the food Tom had left for her when a strange, dizzy feeling overcame her. Reaching out for the armchair nearby she wasn¡¯t sure if she was going to make it to the safety of its seat as she felt her legs wobble. Suddenly, she realised with concern that the feeling was outside of her body, it was almost like an earthquake but nothing else in the room seemed to be affected. Looking down at the bare flooring beneath her she noticed it shimmering before her eyes as if she was having trouble focusing. Stepping forward she couldn¡¯t help the scream that tore its way from her as the floor which had been there moments before suddenly wasn¡¯t underneath her foot.


    Feeling herself quickly falling in a way that was sickening and disorientating, Sarah¡¯s senses reeled with the sensation as she firmly closed her eyes. The blood pounded in her ears as her body went limp. Within seconds of the disturbance, her high-heeled shoe hit the solid flooring under her again, the impact sending her sprawling across the floor. She didn¡¯t care one bit about her ungraceful pose, at least there was flooring there to be sprawled across, something that she would never take for granted again.


    Sarah gulped in large breaths of air, slowly opening her eyes and settling her nauseous stomach as she pushed herself up with shaking arms. From her half-prone half-sitting position she looked around her before quickly realising that she was in a kitchen, presumably the kitchen of the hotel, and her first irrational thought was that at least it was clean. The familiar kitchen smells hung thickly in the air and the room¡¯s normality calmed her slightly, taking the edge of her frayed nerves as she slowly made her way off the floor and back onto her feet. Dizziness still affected her balance and she wobbled slightly in her heels, before leaning against the kitchen bench feeling relieved by its solid coolness against her palms.


    As her eyes surveyed the large room, she noticed that stacked neatly on every shelf, on every spare bench and even on the floor in the corners of the room was a strange variety of foodstuff. Not that Sarah knew anything about catering but she thought there had to be enough in the large kitchen to feed an army. She scanned the items briefly, her mind not focusing on what she was seeing until she caught sight of the innocuous-looking preserving jar on the shelf directly in front of her. Something about the jar caught her attention and she peered closer before her brain worked out what she was looking at, causing the blood to freeze in her veins.


    She moved her eyes away quickly but all the shelves were full of similar jars and containers; some contained a deep red liquid, others liquids in disgusting shades of grey or brown, but it was the one right in front of her containing the eyeball that made her want to gag. She scanned the other jars, not wanting to look but unable to stop herself as she looked around in fear and confusion. She didn¡¯t know which ones repulsed her more, the darker ones where she couldn¡¯t see if there was anything else inside or the ones with the clear liquid that left nothing to the imagination. The jars looked like they belonged in a witch¡¯s house containing a wing of a bat and an eye of a newt and she felt bile start to rise inside her.


    Regaining a tiny part of her senses with a concentrated effort she looked towards the open kitchen door and the safety it represented. There was only one thought that was making sense in her mind and that was to escape through it immediately. Staring at the exit she tried to force her frozen limbs to move towards it without much success, her legs felt weak and if she hadn¡¯t still been hanging onto the kitchen bench she was sure she would have fallen. Suddenly she yelped as she noticed someone was beside her.


    Turning quickly towards the person she raised her arm, although in attack or defence she wasn¡¯t sure, and barely missed hitting Tom as he stood calmly next to her. His composed look confused her for a moment but oddly she began to feel herself respond to him as his normality broke through her fear, as if she were waking up from a bad dream. She dropped her arm in relief, feeling sure he wasn¡¯t going to hurt her and had to restrain herself from grabbing onto him and begging him to get her safely out of the kitchen. She wondered how he had come to be standing right beside her, she knew he hadn¡¯t come through the only door in the kitchen as she had been looking at it trying to flee.


    ¡®Are you alright Sarah?¡¯


    She could hear his voice but just stared at his mouth blankly as she failed to work out the words for a moment. Then slowly as the words became clear she was puzzled about the meaning. Was she alright?


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ she asked in confusion. His presence in the kitchen, that of another normal human in what appeared, mostly, like a normal kitchen made her feel foolish for her overreaction. There had to be a reasonable explanation for the events, something that would explain how she had gotten there and how he had appeared as well. Then realisation dawned on her as her mind fixed on the only plausible reason. ¡®Oh, I see, this is one of your tricks. Well done, it was very believable but next time I don¡¯t want to be your assistant.¡¯


    Sarah couldn¡¯t help the derision that she knew was evident in her words, she¡¯d been scared but now she was angry. She had never liked the kind of magic that made fun of innocent people, or worse scared them, and the blank look on Tom¡¯s face just made her angrier.


    ¡®I can explain ¡­¡¯ Tom began in a placating tone.


    ¡®This should be good,¡¯ a new voice interrupted him and Sarah spun around to face the other person that she hadn¡¯t known was with them in the kitchen.


    As she peered into the shadows, she wondered how long the woman had been there. Sarah was sure the stranger hadn¡¯t entered through the kitchen door either, as the woman was standing on the other side of the room and she would have had to walk right around them. Although she was bewildered Sarah didn¡¯t think even she could be that oblivious.


    As Sarah looked at the woman she guessed her to be somewhere in the mid to late twenties but there was something about her that made her look both older and younger at the same time. Her face, although free of lines or blemishes showed maturity yet the way she wore her goth-like clothing made her look young, almost giving the impression that the woman was ageless. The black jeans and tight black top hugged her body and would have shown her figure to full advantage if she had any curves to show.


    Her pale face was framed by a mane of straight silvery hair worn loose and shadowing her features but it did nothing to hide the expression in her eyes. Sarah shrunk back from the look in those black eyes. She would never have described eyes as soulless before but as those black orbs were seized on her she could think of no other word that fit.


    ¡®What are you doing here Delia?¡¯ Tom asked in a tone that sounded friendly but bored like one might talk to an annoying younger cousin.


    ¡®I was hungry,¡¯ Delia continued to look at Sarah as she said this, barely blinking her dark lashes over those curiously black eyes. Sarah looked in horror as the woman licked her lips hungrily, and she felt a shiver of goosebumps rise.


    ¡®Well, we¡¯ll leave you to eat,¡¯ Tom said with a note of finality as he led Sarah away from the kitchen and the hungry woman. ¡®Come on, I¡¯ll take you to your car now.¡¯


    Sarah wondered absurdly why everyone in the hotel was so hungry. First, those men outside her bedroom had wanted her breakfast and now there was a young woman in the kitchen who looked as if she hadn¡¯t eaten for years. There had to be some normal food in the hotel besides the props that Tom had used in his trick to scare her, as her breakfast had looked normal enough. She wondered if they were all actors and maybe the ruse was bigger than she had originally thought.


    As they walked from the kitchen to the front door of the hotel Sarah could feel Tom¡¯s hand on her back again and found the touch confronting after her ordeal and his involvement.


    ¡®You don¡¯t have to touch me all the time,¡¯ she stated waspishly.


    ¡®It¡¯s easier for me to protect you if I¡¯m touching you,¡¯ Tom responded unapologetically.


    Still, he removed his hand at her look but kept it close to her back as if guiding her as they moved through the room towards the front door. The people they passed quietened as they approached and only a few faint whispers could be heard when they moved on. Sarah just wanted to be out the front door and away from the eerie, disconcerting hotel, away from the ¡°magic¡± and even away from Tom. The front door loomed up and she could barely contain her desire to run through the foyer and throw herself outside but she also didn¡¯t want to leave the assumed safety of Tom¡¯s presence. She could feel the tension in the room increase with every step closer to the imposing wooden door.


    She knew instinctively that the other people in the still-crowded room were watching them, holding their breath even, waiting to see what would happen, and she was sure they weren¡¯t just looking at her and her dress anymore. Finally, they reached the door and Tom opened it slightly, only wide enough for them to squeeze through, and then suddenly she was free. She had only been inside for one night, yet she was sure the air tasted fresher than she remembered. She drank it in with relish, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze on her skin as if it were blowing away all the dust and trauma of the hotel.


    The day outside was dark and looking up at the thick clouds Sarah couldn¡¯t believe how low they were, it was almost as if she could reach out and touch them. Shaking off the silly notion, she started following Tom towards his car. She felt light, free from the strain of the night, and if she had been alone probably would have skipped her way to his car.


    Instead, she followed him calmly, copying his footsteps along the path before realising that this was no easy task. Tom was staggering, swinging drunkenly from side to side and she wondered if he were the type to have something stronger than coffee in the morning. She was about to question him, as she wasn¡¯t going to get into the car with a driver that had been drinking when she noticed he was gasping as if he couldn¡¯t catch his breath.


    ¡®Are you OK?¡¯ she asked, rushing to him with concern as he gave up any effort of moving forward and doubled over as if in pain.


    Slowly, she became aware of the noise. It was as if she had been listening to it for a while but hadn¡¯t been aware of it, like music too far away to make out clearly but on the edge of your hearing. She could hear it now and as her ears hurt and her mind begged to be free of the noise she knew it wasn¡¯t any form of music; it was more like a shrieking. Looking back up at the clouds she was sure the noise was somehow coming from above and was shocked to see the low clouds looked like they were boiling over them.


    It was unlike anything she had seen in her life but as she stared transfixed at the rolling clouds, she knew instinctively that there was something up there, and that she and Tom were in terrible danger. However impossible it seemed, the clouds were a cover for some horrible shrieking creature or creatures, and whatever was causing the noise was somehow responsible for Tom¡¯s condition. Suddenly realising she had to get Tom back inside straight away Sarah grabbed him roughly and half pushed, half dragged him back the way they had come.


    Mist enveloped them as her eyes strained to make out the hotel in front of her. The disorientating shrieking continued around them, becoming impossibly loud and more insistent until it overwhelmed her senses and she could no longer be sure they were headed in the right direction. Still, she pushed Tom forward, glad he was still on his feet as she was sure if he fell she would never get his taller frame back up again. Approaching the door, she was relieved when it opened from the inside not sure how she would have handled Tom and the large, heavy door at once. Giving him one final push she launched herself in after him and closed the door firmly behind them.


    Leaning against the wood she gasped for air, unnerved by what she had experienced outside when something suddenly warned her that the danger wasn¡¯t over. She looked at Tom, prone on the floor at her feet, face ashen and eyes firmly closed and knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to help with the threat she could feel increasing with every moment. Hearing a growl Sarah took her eyes off Tom and looked around the room, feeling the breath catch in her throat as she did. The room was crowded and every pair of eyes were fastened on her with mirroring looks of evil on each face.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Sarah surveyed the room around her fearfully. A flicker of movement alerted her already heightened senses as she noticed the mob slowly advance. Pale, sickly complexions filled her vision as the crowd seemed to surge in on her. They moved carefully as if some indecision held them back but it wasn¡¯t enough to completely dissuade them as they crept forward. Pressing herself back, she felt the hard wood of the door behind her and wished she was on the other side of it, outside and safe.


    She noticed the looks on each face varied in the intensity of wanting, some wore a hunger that she couldn¡¯t comprehend while in others she saw expressions of malice. At first glance, she had thought all the people in the room were advancing on her but as her gaze passed over the crowd she was relieved to notice a few people staying back. Her hope of their help against the crazy mob was short-lived as she noticed the look of condescending boredom on their faces, the look told her that although they weren¡¯t involved in the actions of the others they weren¡¯t going to do anything to stop them. Her confusion increased as she watched them turn back to their conversations as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on in the foyer.


    She turned her attention back to the threat and the occupants nearest to her. The woman from the kitchen was close, her soulless eyes and hungry mouth looking much as they had earlier but there was a sense of abandon to her that was new. She moved more fluidly as she advanced, maintaining eerie eye contact without once blinking her lids over those haunting eyes.


    Sarah¡¯s gaze found the old woman Tom had spoken to earlier, in the front row of the threatening mob. A plea for help formed in Sarah¡¯s mind but died on her lips as she became aware of the woman advancing on her in the same ominous way as the rest. Her movements were different to the others but still menacing as she oddly inched her way forward, her body-waving and head-bobbing returning. The woman gave her an identical look to the one she had given that morning, disdain mixed with condescension. Her lips pulled back in a mirthless grin before Sarah watched with revulsion as she spat out her false teeth, revealing an oddly shaped, almost circular mouth with three fangs set at angles to each other.


    Flinching away from the sight Sarah¡¯s vision became swamped as she saw the dim light of the room bounce off exposed fangs and claws. Her mind tried to rationalise what she was seeing but she was too overwhelmed with terror. Feeling something touch her hair she whipped her head around quickly, watching as a deformed, elderly woman held up the strands of Sarah¡¯s dark hair in triumph before flitting away to a corner of the room to gaze at her trophy. As Sarah eyed the remaining people gathered she was sure she wouldn¡¯t get away that easily with the others.


    Her whole being was flooded with adrenaline and consumed with the instinct to survive, however impossible. Pressing back further against the door - the only thing that felt real in this otherwise impossible situation - Sarah felt the cool doorknob against her wrist. The feel of the familiar metal against her hot, clammy skin sliced through her fear as she realised she might be able to escape. She wondered about the danger outside but pushed the thought aside hurriedly as she was sure it was preferable to being trapped inside the building.


    Wrapping her fingers around the door handle she looked down at Tom lying helpless on the floor. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to save him as well, there was no way she could lift him, and she wondered if she could leave him to save herself. Her primal instincts were screaming yes but a coolly rational part of her brain asked if she could live with herself if she ran out and left him to the horrific people in the room. Her body and mind raged at each other, her only hope of survival was to get out the door and run as fast as she could and even then she knew she might not live to talk about it.


    A wave of pity for him overcame her, as she thought about his intent to stay in the hotel. He had seemed to know the people and had booked his room in this mad place, but surely he wasn¡¯t aware of what the hotel guests were really like. She remembered all his warnings about staying safe and believed he must have felt something was amiss after arriving. Had they convinced him into coming, hiding who they were from him?


    She looked again at the mob, mere moments had passed in her indecision yet they were closer and more menacing, she imagined she could feel their putrid breath on her skin and waited for one of them to pounce. Knowing that if she stayed she would have no hope of saving the helpless man on the floor Sarah sent out a quick plea for forgiveness before preparing for flight. Her muscles tensed and all her thoughts focused on the task. Her eyes were steady on the monsters as she noticed them react the same way, preparing for the chase.


    Suddenly there was a flurry of movement in front of her and before she could register what was happening Sarah found herself in another room; with Tom. She looked around the bedroom with confusion as she untangled herself from his embrace. They appeared to be safe and thankfully alone. It took her befuddled brain a little while to comprehend the way the situation had changed so dramatically and she counted out some slow breaths to calm her racing pulse. Her muscles ached from the tension of holding herself so stiffly and she took a silent moment to survey the room, letting the normality of their surroundings help organise her thoughts.


    She could tell they were still in the hotel by the d¨¦cor that mirrored the furniture in her room almost exactly, but it wasn¡¯t her room they were in. Noticing some of the paraphernalia in the room that she recognised from the car she decided quickly that she had found herself in Tom¡¯s room. She felt disorientated by her sudden room change but not as much as when she had fallen through the floor and she wondered if she was becoming accustomed to the craziness. Blinking several times she tried to compose herself and steady her shaking limbs before looking over at the man responsible for all the drama over the past few days. With a spark of insight, she wondered just how responsible he was.


    ¡®What was that, more tricks? I told you I don¡¯t want to be involved in your ¡°magic¡±,¡¯ she said sternly although her voice was far from steady as she spoke.


    ¡®No,¡¯ Tom¡¯s answer rang of an odd honesty and she felt compelled to believe him. He was still pale and she watched as he weakly collapsed into the large leather armchair in the room. He looked at her with a serious expression before continuing, ¡®Well it was magic but not a ¡°trick¡± to scare you. It was to save your life.¡¯


    Sarah opened her mouth to reply but found no words would exit past her dry lips. She moved to the matching armchair next to his and with determination, and a lot of theatrics, manoeuvred it directly in front of him. Sitting down she leaned towards him, narrowing the distance between them. She wanted some answers and she wanted to see his expression as he gave them. She hoped she appeared more intimidating than she felt.


    Deciding to allow him to try to persuade her, she was confident that there couldn¡¯t be any other reasonable explanation for all that she had witnessed in the past few hours. She wasn¡¯t sure how an illusion could be orchestrated so convincingly but now that she was in the relative safety of his room she was less ready to believe in the instincts that had overwhelmed her before. She was just involved in a very clever ruse with brilliant actors and a well-developed set. She felt foolish for believing otherwise and letting her fear get out of control.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ she asked seriously.


    ¡®I teleported us to my room. You¡¯ll be safe here,¡¯ Tom said, his tone implying that teleporting was the most normal thing in the world. He looked tired and resigned as he spoke.


    She looked at him carefully, trying to read if he was a really good liar or if he was completely insane. Tom looked back, unblinking and unfazed.


    Sarah had always prided herself on being able to read people and being a good judge of character, but his open expression and closed answers were making it impossible for her to decide. Either way, he was dangerous. Still, she had promised, silently, to give him the benefit of the doubt while he explained so she decided to play along.


    ¡®Is that how I ended up in the kitchen, you teleported me there?¡¯


    ¡®No, that was the building.¡¯ She gave him a blank quizzical look as he continued. ¡®I told you not to stare at the walls, who knows maybe you insulted it.¡¯ his voice was still weak and it was hard to detect any humour in it. She could see he believed what he was saying.


    ¡®It ¡­ you mean the hotel?¡¯ This was getting her nowhere fast and Sarah bit down on her urge to rage, swear or rant in her frustration.


    ¡®Well it¡¯s not actually a hotel,¡¯ Tom continued. Sarah wasn¡¯t actually surprised by this fact as she remembered the service she had received. ¡®It¡¯s the home of my ¡­ friend,¡¯ he added after a pause.


    ¡®Does your ¡°friend¡± always entertain so many people?¡¯ Sarah asked contemptuously, wondering why he couldn¡¯t just admit it was a trick and be done with the pretence. Admit that the place and the people were all set up to scare her and to entertain others.


    ¡®What about downstairs, what was that thing?¡¯ she knew she hadn¡¯t been very clear in her description of the mob downstairs but she couldn¡¯t find the words to describe what she had seen. She wanted him to say ¡°actors¡± but was willing to see what he expected her to believe. The make-up artist they used must be a genius, she decided as she filtered through the images in her mind.


    ¡®Which thing? The vampire, werewolf or the giant leech?¡¯


    Tom¡¯s answer filled her with a fear that came from every fibre of her being. Even while she knew it was impossible, a part of her knew that the names of the creatures fitted. Of course, the goth woman was a vampire, how else could you explain those eyes? She shivered as she remembered her claim of being hungry.


    The thought of a giant leech chilled her as much as the vampire and she instantly knew he was talking about the woman she had met upon arriving at the mansion, and the woman the next morning. It made sense to her now why she had felt so unsettled, they were the same person. The next day when they had seen her again it was obviously after she had fed. Sarah shuddered at the thought.


    She had been bitten by a leech once and the experience had been enough to turn her off the creatures. Although it didn¡¯t seem to bother some people there was just something about the horrid little things with their preference for blood meals that made her stomach flip. The thought of being bitten by one the size of the woman downstairs was enough to make her gag.


    Pushing the thought aside she realised that she had let her guard down and had been nearly half-convinced by his story. She wondered how a few simple words from him could send her down the half-mad path of believing. She had always prided herself on being logical and level-headed in every situation but there was something about this magician that caused her to lose her firm belief in facts and become willing to believe the impossible.


    Forcing herself to be logical she continued, ¡®Right. So this is some sort of supernatural ¡­ umm, building?¡¯ she was being sarcastic but felt a chill at his look.


    ¡®Actually, it¡¯s a mystical realm.¡¯


    Again those few words seemed to be spoken in a way that pierced her armour, it was almost as if she were being hypnotised by his tone. She kept a tight rein on her emotions and brought her imagination back under control.


    ¡®Well then what are you?¡¯ she didn¡¯t want to hear his answer but had to ask, she had to know how insane he was, or how insane he thought she was.


    ¡®Half-blood,¡¯ he answered as if that would explain everything. His eyes were still looking at her unwaveringly and she decided he was a very good liar, but then she knew he would have to be in his line of work. ¡®My father¡¯s a sorcerer, my mother was human.¡¯


    ¡®Ok ¡­ well ¡­ it¡¯s been nice to meet you ¡­ umm, Tom,¡¯ Sarah spoke calmly as she rose to her feet, deciding that she had had enough of the insanity. Her mind was screaming for logic and although her instincts were telling her that what he was saying was true she just couldn¡¯t trust them, or him. She felt torn, confused and overwhelmed as if there were a battle going on in and around their conversation, one that she couldn¡¯t fully comprehend but it was exhausting her. ¡®I¡¯m going to go back to my car now, and then I¡¯m going to go back to reality.¡¯


    ¡®How are you going to do that?¡¯ Tom hadn¡¯t moved from his spot but the tone of his voice stopped Sarah in her tracks, it wasn¡¯t commanding or intimidating just blatantly logical. ¡®Have you forgotten the creatures downstairs? You may not believe what I have told you but you were afraid before. As you should be. The only way you can get out of this building is with my help but I can¡¯t go back outside yet. You may think it was just part of my act but I can tell you I¡¯m not that good an actor.¡¯


    ¡®What happened outside?¡¯


    Sarah could see he didn¡¯t want to tell her, and with the strange things he had already said she knew it must be bad, or weird. She sat back down in the armchair, settling into the seat to listen to him, again trying to appear open-minded.


    He sat there silently for a moment before he shrugged. ¡®They are hunters; Banshees.¡¯


    ¡®Aren¡¯t they the evil creatures that scream all the time?¡¯ she asked, wondering what they had to do with Tom¡¯s condition earlier.


    ¡®Well they¡¯re not evil,¡¯ Tom said as if he were defending the creatures. ¡®But yes they will shriek when a death is going to happen.¡¯


    ¡®Sounds lovely of them.¡¯ Sarah rolled her eyes.


    Tom ignored her look and continued to explain, his expression becoming more animated. ¡®The Banshees are being forced to work for creatures that are far worse than any of the ones downstairs. They have been taking our kind and we never see them again. We aren¡¯t sure what their masters are or what¡¯s going on which is why we¡¯re all here, we don¡¯t usually group in large numbers,¡¯ he seemed to weigh up the information before deciding to continue. ¡®For now, here is safe and hopefully, we can work out what¡¯s happened to those we¡¯ve lost, and stop it from happening to the rest of us. That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t be here, firstly you¡¯re in danger and secondly, you¡¯re a distraction.¡¯


    ¡®Well, I didn¡¯t ask to come to this creepy place that was your fault.¡¯ Sarah knew she sounded crazy, about as crazy as him, but she no longer cared if she was being made a fool of or if there were cameras around filming her fear. She just wanted the whole episode to be over.


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    ¡®I know, and now we¡¯re both stuck.¡¯


    The finality in his voice struck a chord of fear deep within her.


    ¡®What do we do?¡¯ she hated that she asked and hated, even more, the tremble in her voice as she asked.


    ¡®We stay here again tonight, try to get you out tomorrow,¡¯ he hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡®you could stay here with me, so I can keep you safe from the others.¡¯


    ¡®No offence but I don¡¯t think I will be that much safer with you, Half-blood,¡¯ Sarah hoped that the word was an insult. She didn¡¯t fully know what a ¡°half-blood¡± was let alone if it was a bad thing but she wasn¡¯t waiting around to find out.


    Moving quickly to the door she didn¡¯t look back, not wanting him to sense any indecision in her that he might read more into. She couldn¡¯t believe that he would take this opportunity to proposition her! There had been nothing in her behaviour towards him that he could have read as an invitation, she had barely been able to hide her contempt towards him and his games. A small voice wondered if he was just trying to keep her safe and hadn¡¯t intended to offend her but she pushed it aside with indignation.


    She opened his door, unlocked she noticed, and stopped to carefully peer both ways down the hall to make sure there wasn¡¯t anybody nearby before stepping through. No matter what she said about it being illogical there was some primal instinct in her that seemed to believe that those people downstairs weren¡¯t actors and were the creatures he had described. Crossing the hall, suddenly she felt an odd sensation as if something passed nearby and she watched with amazement as her bedroom door opened in front of her. She glanced back to see Tom standing in his doorway, his handsome face the mask of a performer, and she did not doubt that he was responsible for the door opening. Moving forward she tried to curb her irritation at the showy magic trick, as she acknowledged that he was good at what he did for a living. Her door had been locked when she had fallen through the floor earlier and her key was still inside.


    Back in her room she closed and locked the door firmly, pushing back the voice in her mind that told her a door and lock would do little to help her. She began to pace angrily around the room, wondering what Tom could get out of trying to scare her all the time. Surely he didn¡¯t think she would believe all the supernatural nonsense he was telling her, she was a smart non-superstitious woman living in an intelligent age.


    She wasn¡¯t sure of Tom as a magician, as she had only watched a small portion of his show that night, but she had seen other magicians setting people up with elaborate ruses meant to be funny. She had never found laughing at another person¡¯s fear entertaining. Then again just because she didn¡¯t find it funny didn¡¯t mean everyone else didn¡¯t, all those magicians were making a living somehow.


    Remembering the time a street performer had coerced her into watching a magic trick with some dice, Sarah remembered being left with a feeling of unease. She had found the experience disconcerting and had barely resisted the urge to check all her jewellery was still in place afterwards. Where others seemed to find magic exciting and entertaining, she usually just felt stupid and vulnerable. She was feeling the same now, confused by the trick and helpless against her unwitting part in it.


    She sighed as she sat down on the edge of the bed, overcome with a sudden feeling of fatigue. Her body felt exhausted, much as it had when she had fallen asleep the night before, and she reasoned that it wasn¡¯t every day you found yourself in a building full of possible monsters. It seemed like an unrealistic movie, which made her feel certain it was all a set-up. Still, she decided it would be better to stay in her room, either there were monsters outside her door that wanted to hurt her or cameras and people wanting to laugh at her.


    The feeling of fatigue didn¡¯t ease as she sat there and Sarah had the strangest feeling she was being watched. A glance around the room confirmed she was alone but the feeling was relentless. There was no malice in the invisible gaze, for some reason she was certain of that, but she had the oddest feeling that it was somehow connected with her fatigue. The thoughts were hazy and were external to her consciousness and soon they too entered a dreamlike state. Sighing she lay straight back on the bed, still in her overblown bridesmaid dress, and gave in to the exhaustion.


    She awoke to a tap at her door and was surprised that she had managed to sleep at all. Quickly pushing aside the fogginess she leapt out of bed as the tapping continued, before carefully stalking barefoot towards the door as she remembered what could be on the other side.


    ¡®Sarah it¡¯s me ¡­ Tom.¡¯


    The voice sounded legitimate and sighing Sarah relaxed slightly as she unlocked the door and opened it a crack. To her relief, she could see Tom¡¯s features lit by the dim shadowy overhead lights, and she could also see he was alone.


    ¡®Room service.¡¯


    As he spoke she moved back into the room, allowing him to enter with the tray he was carrying. Tom placed it on the dresser where he had placed the breakfast one earlier and Sarah puzzled at the bare top of the piece of furniture as she couldn¡¯t recall the other tray being removed. She hid her curiosity behind his turned back as he moved towards the door, not wanting to give him an opportunity to supply any more of his ¡°answers¡±. As she watched him close the door firmly, while he was still inside the room, she realised he was intent on staying and she was instantly aware of her appearance. The glance she saw him give her tousled hair and the wrinkled dress didn¡¯t help her discomfort.


    Turning her focus from her dishevelled state she instead eyed the man moving confidently through her room. She wondered momentarily if he was going to apologise for his behaviour earlier, and his innuendo. One look at his calm, slightly cocky expression and she knew she was fooling herself. Still, she wasn¡¯t going to bring it up, after thinking about his comment later she realised she may have overreacted and wasn¡¯t going to court the embarrassment of finding out.


    ¡®How are you feeling?¡¯ his voice held nothing but concern but the tone grated on her already frayed nerves.


    She opened her mouth to tell him what she thought of his care after everything he was putting her through but as she looked at him she felt the fight leave her body. Strangely he was her only friend in the absurd situation and if he were telling her the truth then she would be better off keeping him onside. Plus it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to cause a scene, it was bound to make her look bad to the cameras.


    Sarah collapsed into the armchair by the window. The curtains were still thrown wide as she had remembered that vampires weren¡¯t supposed to like sunlight so had thought it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to close them. Not that she believed in vampires but there was still some part of her that wouldn¡¯t let her discredit her fears. She looked out at the setting sun as she pondered his concern.


    Honestly, she wasn¡¯t sure how she was feeling and suddenly couldn¡¯t find the words to explain. She was confused, angry at the situation, angry at herself and angry at him. Especially if he was trying to make a fool of her. If not, then she was in a building full of creatures she hadn¡¯t known existed until now and would have preferred to stay ignorant of the fact. Instead of answering she posed a question as she watched him move to lean against the end of the bed casually.


    ¡®Are you safe here?¡¯ He looked surprised, almost as surprised as she was for asking the question, but she pressed on to explain herself. ¡®I mean, if you¡¯re a half-blood that means you¡¯re half-human. Are they umm ¡­ attracted to your human half? Are you in danger?¡¯


    ¡®No,¡¯ Tom looked at her intently, his dark brown eyes compelling her to believe him. She mentally made a comparison to the eyes of the creatures downstairs, noticing the depth of colour in his as opposed to the void of blackness in theirs. As she looked for longer than was probably socially acceptable she realised the other main difference, his were alive. A glint of something else in their depths that was missing in the others. A spark that was uniquely his. She shook herself out of her foolish thoughts as he continued. ¡®And neither are you as long as you stay in this room and don¡¯t open your door to anyone except me.¡¯


    Tom moved towards the door again, opening it carefully before turning back to Sarah briefly. ¡®It¡¯s time to believe in magic.¡¯


    Without waiting for a response he left the room, closing the door behind him. Sarah wasn¡¯t certain she could trust her eyes but she was sure she saw an odd film of colour wash over the door before it returned to the solid wood of before. Quickly scrambling over to the door she locked it firmly with the key before replacing it on the table.


    Moving over to the food she was surprised by the hunger that the aroma aroused in her and was glad that she was eating alone as she devoured everything on the plate. The missed meals and the adrenaline of the day had reduced her to behave like a starved animal. On the tray, there was also a brand new pack of cards which she assumed was Tom¡¯s idea of entertainment for the evening. She ignored them, although a glance at the darkening world outside told her she would have hours to kill before morning when she would be able to escape her room and hopefully escape the building.


    As she entered the small bathroom she wondered how well she would be able to freshen up without any of her things. A rummage around in the cupboard above the sink luckily produced everything she needed for her hygiene. The room had been freshly stocked for the guests Tom¡¯s ¡°friend¡± had been expecting and everything looked new and clean. She was surprised to find the items, especially if what Tom was saying was true. Did vampires need to brush their fangs? Remembering the giant leech and her false teeth Sarah decided to ignore her wayward thoughts and was instead grateful that the bathroom had some conveniences.


    Filling the large bathtub she was also glad that it had indoor plumbing as the old claw-footed bath looked like it was originally intended to be filled with bucket after bucket of hot water brought up from the kitchen by hand. She smiled at the thought, amused at the continuity of the building. The bathroom had all the conveniences but none of them were modern. Still, she knew that some things in the building must have been updated over the years, the electrical wiring and plumbing for a start, even if the interior styling had been left so far behind. As she slipped into the warm water and lay back comfortably she decided it wasn¡¯t too bad as long as she could get clean.


    Wrapping herself in a large towel she did her best to hand wash her clothing, hating the idea of having to wear the dress another day but knowing that she still had no other options. Unfortunately, it was the same for her underwear. Still, she kept aside the sheer full-length slip she had worn under the dress as she didn¡¯t like the feeling of vulnerability sparked by the thought of having to go to bed naked. Leaving her clothing in the bathroom she made a mental note to retrieve the dress before she went to bed even if it was still wet, as she wasn¡¯t about to sleep in the creepy room without the comfort of knowing decency was close at hand.


    After her foray in the bathroom, she returned to the bedroom and looked around the room wondering what she was going to do with herself for the next few hours. Sitting in her new favourite armchair she decided she would just have to wait. At least it would give her some time to try to work out what was going on in the building and what Tom was up to. She looked at the wall, covered in old-fashioned wallpaper before a shudder ran down her spine at Tom¡¯s words earlier that day about not staring at the walls for too long.


    Tom paced his room impatiently, hoping for inspiration to strike about the woman across the hall. If he couldn¡¯t get rid of her then he at least had to convince her about the danger she was in. Still, something was holding her back, besides her obvious stubbornness. She was reluctant to believe in anything that wasn¡¯t included in the list of things she thought was normal.


    She was adamant that it was all just an act he had concocted, he didn¡¯t need to be able to read her mind to work that out; although it did help. Even using his magic to try to persuade her wasn¡¯t working. He could see her respond to it but then a wall would come up and she would go straight back to looking for a logical explanation. Unfortunately, the only logical explanation was that he was the bad guy, tricking her for entertainment, and he needed her to trust him if he was going to get her out of the building alive.


    He had never met anyone that he couldn¡¯t convince. Not that he had practised forcing people to believe in magic, he usually just let his tricks and illusions convince people for him. He had never had to compel someone before. It was a skill he hadn¡¯t bothered mastering and had never been interested in.


    There were sorcerers he knew that had practised extensively in controlling others until they could do it without much effort. A sorcerer like that would be able to convince her but he wasn¡¯t sure what would be left of her afterwards, there was always a risk when using too much magic on a mortal. Plus he had felt the effects of a compelling firsthand and he knew it wasn¡¯t pleasant. He grimaced at the thought.


    Tom looked around the small room in frustration, taking in the furniture and the colouring with a frown. He hadn¡¯t been looking forward to being cooped up, especially in this building. Still, he had lost. He had resisted coming for as long as he had been able, outright refusing the first few invitations, but he had been bested in the end.


    His skin crawled with the memory of being compelled to drive there, the effort it had taken him to stop when he had seen Sarah stuck on the side of the road and the power it had drained. He had been glad she had gotten into the car when she did as he didn¡¯t think he could have held off driving much longer. The internal war he had gone through was a bitter experience that he never wanted to be repeated.


    Not that she seemed to appreciate it, he thought unfairly. He had been compelled to arrive, the banshees were forcing him to stay and all the while he had to keep a human from being either a source of macabre entertainment or a meal to the monsters inside the building. This kind of responsibility wasn¡¯t something he had ever sought. He had only ever been interested in a life of freedom, travelling and showing his magic, enjoying seeing the astonished faces of his fans and for the most part being alone. It was what he preferred, he lived alone but not lonely.


    Once he had been forced to stop resisting and had resigned himself to the idea of being stuck in this building, he had planned to use the enforced holiday as a time to create a performance that would make people wonder. Although he was magic he preferred not to use it regularly in his acts, it felt like cheating. While studying all the great magicians he admired he soon realised that it was more than a few tricks to surprise, it was an art form and something that had become as much a part of him as the real magical abilities he had. He still used real magic from time to time but only to make it a little bit more spectacular and to keep his fans guessing but he never let it overtake his act. It appealed to him to mix the real with the imaginary, it was like hiding in plain sight.


    It hadn¡¯t escaped his attention that Sarah was not one of his adoring followers and he didn¡¯t think she was going to change her mind anytime soon. He glanced over at the orb beside his bed, still glowing with the image of her room and looked away quickly as he noticed her sitting in the chair wearing nothing but a towel. He thought of using his magic to overpower her mind, bend her to his will or maybe just keep her unconscious until it was all over, and the sorcerer in him revelled in the chance to use some of the darker spells he had been trained in, but he dismissed the thought. He couldn¡¯t take away her limited freedom, even to save her life.


    Tom sighed as he sat down heavily on the bed, rubbing his hands over his face tiredly. He had other things to worry about, like the threat to him and towards all the others in the building from whatever was outside. Now instead of working on his act before he came back to his suspense-racked fans with the performance of the century, or maybe even in the history of the world, he was forced to babysit an ungrateful human. It rankled at him. He had lived alone doing what he wanted as he travelled the world and other realms for so long. Now the responsibilities kept piling on.


    That night Sarah awoke to a strange noise in her room. It was unlike anything she had ever heard before and wasn¡¯t something her half-asleep brain could comprehend. It was a howling noise but quiet, like a beast that was trying to whisper. Pulling her mind fully awake she opened her eyes, blinking in the dim light spilling out from her open bathroom door.


    A shadow shifted near her and as she watched there was a slight movement pulling away from her bed as if her room had captured some mist from outside. Sitting up she tried to grab for the bedside light but on her way, her hand brushed some of the cloudlike, white substance and a shot of pain raced up her arm, momentarily paralysing the appendage and causing her to cry out. Staring in disbelief at her hand she noticed the blood flowing freely from her palm.


    The noise began again with a vengeance and Sarah resisted the urge to cover her ears while wishing she could cover her eyes as well. There were three ghostly white shapes, shifting and flowing around the room and she realised they weren¡¯t there with the mist, they were the mist. Her soul understood what her mind couldn¡¯t and she knew she was in grave danger. The shapes advanced towards her on the bed, still shifting from side to side as if they were enjoying the moment; a dance of death.


    Holding out her uninjured hand she tried to ward them off, not sure in her dreamlike state what she intended would happen. Suddenly the nearest shape reached out and with a pain that coursed through her touched her almost reverently on the forearm. Instantly her skin gave way and a small sliver of blood ran down to her elbow and dripped onto the bed. The scream that tore itself from her was something she would not have thought her lungs capable of. It was as if the world had made itself heard through her voice, adding to the otherworldly feeling.


    Sarah watched the situation as if she were a spectator. Her mind was no longer able to focus and the pain was sending her to a state where the strange occurrences in her bedroom seemed as if she was separate from them. When her door crashed open she didn¡¯t feel relieved, or scared, she just watched. The sight of Tom rushing toward her didn¡¯t make her feel safe, instead, all she felt was suddenly very tired. She fell back in the bed and closed her eyes hoping that when she opened them again everything would be normal.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    As soon as Tom heard the bloodcurdling scream his first thought was that Sarah was dead. There weren¡¯t many times people screamed like that and when there was a human in a building full of ¡°monsters¡± that sort of cry could only mean one thing. He had been a fool to fall asleep and not keep an eye on her, but he hadn¡¯t been able to stay awake any longer. The human side of him was ¡­ well ¡­ human, and sleeping, eating and irrational thoughts of being in charge of a situation he could never hope to control were a big part of him.


    Tom didn¡¯t bother to glance at the orb on his bedside table, not wanting to waste a moment as he raced from his room. He was glad he had fallen into an exhausted sleep in his clothing, again, if it turned out to be a false alarm he wouldn¡¯t risk offending her more by rushing into her room half-naked. Throwing open her door, the lock easily giving way under his magical force, he could see the ghosts around her, could see the ashen look on her face and watched as she fell back onto the bed. Slamming the door, he moved swiftly into the room sure that he was too late.


    The mist swirled around the bed as the ghosts turned to see what had interrupted their evening. He counted only three of the spectral beings and a flash of relief coursed through him. The ghosts only wasted a moment as they surveyed him, a moment filled with a silent battle of wills before an unearthly sigh emanated from them and within a moment they were gone. The mist, the ghosts and the haunted feeling that had been in the room when he arrived all left in the blink of an eye as if they had never existed.


    Tom made his way over to the bed after taking a moment to lock the door again, magically, to prevent any other unwanted visitors lured by the noise. He was wondering as he approached her prone form what he was going to do if she was dead. No matter what he had told himself earlier he knew he wouldn¡¯t forgive himself if she didn¡¯t survive her stay in this realm. He may not have asked for the responsibility of looking after her but he was responsible and he knew the guilt would stay with him.


    Thankfully she was still breathing. The even rise and fall of her chest, barely covered he couldn¡¯t help but notice, was almost hypnotic in its normality. She must have fainted, which he supposed would be a natural response for a human when finding a few ghosts beside the bed in the middle of the night.


    Tom noticed the cuts on her hand and arm then, the bleeding had slowed but the wounds were visible and the blood had marked her sheets. He sat on the edge of the bed carefully and roused her. She came slowly back to reality as if not wanting to be awake, maybe scared of what might be waiting for her this time.


    Sarah awoke to find Tom sitting on the edge of the bed and her first irrational thought was to wonder if she was covered properly. Reaching for the dress she had left on the bed nearby she dragged it over herself and held it tightly in front of her while moving to sit upright. The pain in her hand made her flinch as she touched the mattress beneath her and as she looked at the mark of bright red smeared across the sheet, slowly the memories of what had happened came back.


    ¡®Shh, it¡¯s alright they¡¯ve gone.¡¯


    Sarah heard Tom¡¯s words but he was talking as if there had been some pesky mice or cockroaches in her room, not murderous ghosts attacking her.


    She eyed him cautiously as he made a move towards her before she realised the pain that was radiating from the gash she had received earlier. The dress she held tight against her stemmed the blood but she could already see a bright red patch on the material. Switching hands on her scant modesty she allowed him to hold her injured forearm in his strong hands, not liking the intimacy of the situation but able to find some odd comfort from being nursed.


    ¡®Hold still,¡¯ he said in a quiet, calm tone while focusing on the cut on her arm.


    As she watched the bleeding stopped, the cut closed, and the skin healed without a mark.


    ¡®What happened? How¡¯d you do that?¡¯ Sarah asked as she snatched her arm back and examined the spot where the wound had been, there wasn¡¯t even a scar.


    Tom indicated to her injured hand next and she carefully altered her hold on the dress and offered the less damaged appendage. Afterwards, an inspection of her injured hand showed her the same results as her arm.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it now, go back to sleep. I¡¯ll stay here tonight and make sure you don¡¯t have any more unwanted visitors.¡¯


    Sarah didn¡¯t want to sleep, what she wanted was for him to answer her questions. Still, there was something about his tone that she couldn¡¯t refuse as the thought of sleep became more and more appealing. She lay back, her eyes getting heavy and her mind starting to drift. Just before sleep claimed her completely, she remembered something she needed to know.


    She tried to fight the lethargy, tried to remember exactly what had happened and tried to ask Tom a question but the memories were quickly becoming foggy and her body already felt too heavy to move. The memory became less important as she drifted back to sleep. Her last thought was the question she had wanted to ask; she needed to know if one of the ghosts had been a woman.


    Tom moved over to the armchair that Sarah had spent most of her evening in and watched the woman on the bed. She was sleeping soundly as if all the dramas of the day had never happened and he felt slightly proud that he had been able to provide her with that much peace at least. Sighing silently, he removed his cards from his pocket and started playing with the deck. He needed to think. He couldn¡¯t believe he had been so foolish to only ward the door against the threat in the building, not every creature had to use the door.


    It was a stupid mistake and one that could have cost Sarah her life. It was also one that was easy to fix and he spent the next few moments warding every crease and crevice of the room against unwanted visitors and spending more time perfecting the one on the door. Still, he was careful with this spell as he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ward the entrance completely. It would mean he wouldn¡¯t be able to get into her room without her permission, permission only granted by an open door.


    There was already a warding against teleportation, something he had put in place with the original door warding as he wasn¡¯t the only creature in the place that knew those tricks. If he closed off his only way of entering her room, he wouldn¡¯t be able to save her if the events of tonight repeated themselves. Ignoring the fact that she was now fully protected while in the confines of the room and wouldn¡¯t need rescuing he left the warding on the door as it was.


    Sarah moaned slightly and he glanced over to her again to make sure she was still sleeping soundly, before weaving the spell over her a bit stronger until he could see her fall back into a deeper sleep. He wondered as he watched her what was possessing him to go to these lengths for her. Was it just the responsibility he felt for her or had she started to get to him? Tom sighed again as he shuffled his cards, he hoped not for both of their sakes.


    The next morning Sarah woke feeling groggy as if she had consumed too much alcohol the night before. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she had been out with her friends and had the after-effects of one of their rare but fun let-your-hair-down nights. Quickly the illusion vanished as she noticed the white curtains surrounding the huge posts of her bed. As the events of the night came back to her, she grabbed the thick covers over herself and sat up with a start realising that she probably wasn¡¯t alone in the room.


    She noticed Tom sitting in the armchair across from the end of the bed. He had moved a small table in front of him and she could see he was playing Solitaire with the cards that were his constant companion. The only illumination in the room was coming from the light from the bathroom. The scene felt intimate and even though she was fully covered Sarah felt vulnerable, her near nakedness being forefront of her mind.


    ¡®Feeling better this morning?¡¯ Tom asked without looking up from his game.


    Sarah looked at her arm quizzically, it looked like it had never been injured. She decided not to answer as the question seemed too complex to be addressed without coffee. Physically she felt fine, but mentally, emotionally and even spiritually she felt abused, vulnerable and terrified.


    ¡®I need to get dressed,¡¯ she blurted out instead, focusing on the mundane. It was disconcerting waking up with a strange man in her bedroom and wasn¡¯t a practice she was used to.


    Tom stood up wordlessly and didn¡¯t look at her as he moved out of the room and into the hall. Watching him as he moved confidently through her room Sarah wasn¡¯t pleased with how he looked perfectly put together even though he must have been awake half the night. She barely waited for the door to close before leaping out of bed and pulling the dress on assuming it wouldn¡¯t be long before he returned. She was correct and after a few minutes, she heard his knock before he re-entered the room.


    Knowing how she must look she glanced down at her dress and saw the blood marks on the fabric, a shudder ran through her body as she remembered how they had gotten there. She glanced over at Tom, he stood calmly as if waiting for her to say something but she suddenly felt shy, unsure of herself in this strange world. She could no longer deny that there was something unholy going on in the building, the blood seemed to prove it and even if it was fake the pain she remembered from the cuts couldn¡¯t have been an act. Surely a magician couldn¡¯t go so far as to hurt someone, there had to be some laws against that.


    Moving over to the window she shifted open the curtain slightly and peeked out to the world, noticing the pale sunlight filtering through the thin clouds in the morning sky. It must be early she reasoned as she tried to assess the placement of the sun but was unsure if her guess was accurate. Remembering what could be hiding in those clouds she felt as though she were surrounded by disorder and chaos.


    She pulled the curtains back into place, hastily enclosing them in the dimly lit room. The darkness helped soothe her and made her feel safer asking her foolish questions. She could feel Tom¡¯s presence in the room behind her as he silently waited.


    ¡®Will those ¡­ things ¡­ come back again?¡¯ she asked, hating that her voice trembled. She could taste the fear in the words and stared at the thick window covering in front of her.


    ¡®No,¡¯ Tom answered with a note of finality.


    Sarah didn¡¯t want to question his answer as she again felt drawn to believing him and his simple answers. This time she let herself be convinced, the experiences of the night having weakened her resolve.


    She sighed and turned to face him, momentarily startled by the small coloured orbs of light surrounding them in the room. She watched as Tom created another and sent it up towards the ceiling. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was doing it purely out of boredom or to further convince her of magic but the odd lighting made her feel more comfortable in asking her questions. It led to intimacy in the conversation.


    She sighed. ¡®What do I have to do to survive this?¡¯


    If Tom was surprised by her change in attitude, he didn¡¯t say anything and to Sarah¡¯s relief, a team of cameramen and crew didn¡¯t come out of the corners of the room to laugh and jeer at her. Suddenly she wished they would, the alternative was too frightening to comprehend.


    ¡®Trust me,¡¯ Tom said. His words sounded simple but still Sarah bulked at putting all her faith into this man. A man that she had only known for a short time and she didn¡¯t feel that she had gotten to know at all.


    Trust wasn¡¯t something she just gave to people without knowing them. The thought that he was treating her like an audience still clung to her and she wondered if she could ever get to know him or if he would always hide behind his profession.


    ¡®I know my way around this realm,¡¯ he continued, ¡®and I know the other creatures in this place. If you do what I say I can get you safely back to your home soon.¡¯


    Suddenly an inspired thought flashed through Sarah¡¯s mind. ¡®Can you just teleport me home?¡¯ she asked, causing hope to flare up in her until she noticed his expression and watched him shake his head. She supposed if it had been possible he would have done it already. She knew he would be glad to get rid of her.


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    ¡®I can¡¯t teleport into another realm. Only transport around in the one I¡¯m in. I have to get to another realm the same way as everyone else.¡¯


    ¡®How did I get here in the first place?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ he admitted slowly. ¡®You went through a portal but you should never have been able to enter it and you shouldn¡¯t have ended up on that road that I found you on.¡¯


    ¡®And what exactly is a ¡°portal¡±?¡¯ She knew the term from all the science-fiction and fantasy books she had read over the years but hearing it used in real life wasn¡¯t something she could get her mind around, she had to make sure she was on the same page.


    ¡®It¡¯s a kind of doorway, to another location. There are portals everywhere so we can come and go quickly, it helps some of these creatures more than others when they need to escape or hideout.¡¯


    ¡®So, the creatures here come into my world?¡¯ She was appalled at the thought. Tom merely looked at her in answer, making her wonder at the man that claimed to be half-human yet consorted with monsters. ¡®Which world do you live in?¡¯ The question seemed innocent enough but Sarah knew Tom¡¯s answer could shake her trust in him.


    Tom grimaced before replying, ¡®I travel a lot.¡¯


    ¡®Between the two realms?¡¯


    ¡®Between all the realms,¡¯ he clarified. ¡®There are hundreds of realms Sarah.¡¯


    Sarah was sure her mind twisted in on itself at this information. She had a hard enough time comprehending two realms but the thought that there were hundreds of them somewhere out there was overwhelming.


    ¡®How do you know which portal to use?¡¯ she asked confused. ¡®Or where you¡¯re going to end up?¡¯


    ¡®We can choose when entering a portal,¡¯ he explained. She could see he was trying to clarify the matter but she just felt more muddled. ¡®We all chose to come to this realm.¡¯


    Except me, Sarah thought. She hadn¡¯t chosen and wondered what would have happened to her if she had ended up in the wrong realm, without Tom to help her.


    ¡®But you could teleport us to the portal?¡¯ Sarah thought it didn¡¯t sound too dangerous if they just arrived at the portal and stepped through to her realm.


    Her hope died as he shook his head. ¡®It would take a lot of magic to teleport that distance and it takes time to teleport,¡¯ he explained patiently. ¡®The banshees would be able to detect the magic.¡¯


    Suddenly a noise cut through the tense silence of the room causing Sarah to jump out of her skin. She bit back on a scream as she placed the noise as a perfectly normal knock on her bedroom door. Tom turned towards the sound sending her a careful look before opening it slightly. Peering around him from her safe distance by the window she could see the vampire on the other side of the door, looking partially interested and partially bored at the same time. It was a look that she had previously thought only teenagers were able to perfect until she met a vampire.


    ¡®Is she dead?¡¯ She heard the undead woman ask conversationally. The tone and the look on the vampire¡¯s face sent a shiver of fear through her, it was as if the other woman was discussing the weather, not Sarah¡¯s life. She saw Delia¡¯s gaze move from Tom and before he could answer she had spied Sarah, looking at her with disdain. ¡®Oh well.¡¯


    The darkly clothed woman turned to walk away again in a swirl of black skirts but before Tom could close the door she spun quickly around with interest. The disdained look and bored visage dissolved instantly to be replaced with a look of hunger, tinged with something akin to lust. It was a look of gluttony, the passion of feeding a hunger that came from deep within, probably from where the vampire¡¯s soul should have been. Sarah backed off instinctively.


    As she carefully moved to the furthest spot from the door she noticed how the vampire was staring at her, or more accurately at her dress and the blood spots that were visible in the dim lighting of the orbs. She watched the predator before her, noticing slight nuances as Sarah¡¯s fear sharpened her senses, focusing her vision on the bunching of the other woman¡¯s muscles and the gleam of teeth as the vampire bared them at her in an unworldly snarl.


    Suddenly the vampire lunged into the room and Sarah moved back quickly, cowering against the far wall. She waited for the end, knowing it would be soon and hoping it would be quick. She felt no teeth or pain. Peeking out through her fear-dampened lashes she saw the vampire against the opposite wall, unable to move and straining against what appeared to be invisible ropes holding her in place.


    Tom stood between them, having barely moved during the past tension-filled moments. Sarah watched as he closed the door and locked it firmly again. She knew she would have been happier if he had locked the vampire on the other side of the door but there was something in his stance that reassured her. Slowly she straightened as she realised the vampire couldn¡¯t move. By the snarls and growls Delia was making as she stood pressed against the wall beside the doorway, Sarah could tell it wasn¡¯t the vampire¡¯s desired outcome of the situation.


    ¡®Come on Delia,¡¯ Tom¡¯s voice was soothing, unthreatening, as he moved back in front of her. He glanced down at the deck of cards that were in his hand as if the situation was interrupting him from something he would rather be doing. ¡®I thought you agreed to leave her alone.¡¯


    Delia¡¯s response was incomprehensible. It sounded more like a guttural snarl to Sarah. Still, Tom seemed to understand.


    ¡®I know but I can¡¯t let you hurt her so you¡¯re just going to have to calm down.¡¯ The words were said casually but Sarah could hear the edge of command in his voice, like steel covered in silk.


    As Sarah watched, the vampire eventually stopped squirming against her restraints and slowly seemed to return to a somewhat human appearance. The sharp planes of her face softened slightly and the glint of passion dulled in her dark eyes. Still, Sarah wasn¡¯t convinced that she could trust the other woman.


    She watched as Tom walked away from the monster, moving slowly and playing with his cards absentmindedly, and hoped that he knew what he was doing as he no longer blocked the path between herself and the vampire. As she looked at his face, hoping for a glimmer of something that would tell her he had everything under control, she realised that she was just watching his performance. He was the magician performing an act and she was once again the audience. She remembered him asking her to trust him, sighing as she realised she had no choice.


    ¡®Now let me go!¡¯ as Delia spoke Sarah could see that the woman¡¯s temper wasn¡¯t completely under control.


    The look the vampire gave Tom sent Sarah¡¯s blood cold. She was sure that if it had been directed at a mere mortal they would quickly find themselves six feet under and hoped that the woman¡¯s attention stayed firmly on the magician in front of her. Tom stopped moving and looked at the vampire for a moment; a long assessing look. He didn¡¯t look fazed by her hate-filled glare, simply meeting her eyes steadily.


    Suddenly the vampire dropped her gaze to the floor, all the fight leaving her body as she hung limply against the wall. Tom inclined his head slightly and instantly Delia was free, stretching out her muscles as if she had been held for hours. Sarah was sure the vampire was more irritated at being held against her will than having suffered any real discomfort. Any feelings of concern for the vampire were quickly squashed though as she realised that Delia was completely free of whatever it was that had held her, she wasn¡¯t sure that was such a good idea.


    Sarah moved back against the wall, wishing that it would swallow her up. Remembering her unwanted trip through the floor to the kitchen she quickly moved slightly away. She hoped the building wouldn¡¯t act out her fleeting wish, then what would happen to her? There may be a vampire in her bedroom but outside her door, there were other monsters, some probably even worse, and no Tom to keep her safe.


    If Sarah hadn¡¯t been so terrified of the madness around her she would have laughed and the absurdity of her thoughts. Still, she had a homicidal vampire in front of her and who knew what other dangers lurked around, her only hope of help was the man in the centre of the room that seemed more interested in his cards than in any of the other occupants. The vampire didn¡¯t make a move toward her.


    ¡®I need to find something else for Sarah to wear,¡¯ Tom said, speaking to the vampire carefully and calmly. ¡®Do you have anything?¡¯


    Sarah couldn¡¯t believe her ears. First, the vampire wanted to drink her blood and now Tom was asking Delia to give her clothing. Looking at the vampire¡¯s attire Sarah hoped she would say no.


    ¡®I don¡¯t usually dress my dinner,¡¯ Delia said stubbornly. There was a strained silence between them before she gave in. ¡®I have a few things I don¡¯t wear anymore. I¡¯ll bring them.¡¯


    Tom moved to the door with the young woman and let her out of the room, quickly locking the door after her. Sarah thought he might talk to her about what had happened, about how he had restrained the vampire so easily and compelled her to go off to do his bidding. Instead, he sat back in his chair and started another game of Solitaire.


    ¡®Why did she do what you said?¡¯ Sarah asked cautiously. She hadn¡¯t moved from her position in the room, her mind still trying to process everything she had seen.


    Tom looked up from his game briefly, his look unreadable.


    ¡®We all have to stick together at the moment,¡¯ he answered looking back at the cards laid out in front of him. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t help if we all started turning on each other.¡¯


    She tested out his answer and decided she found it lacking. It sounded feasible, but she wondered if it had more to do with the way he had held Delia effortlessly against the wall while the creature was helpless to object. Sarah filed away this knowledge, thinking it would probably be a good idea to stay close to one of the strongest people in this place.


    Delia was back quickly with the clothes and left shortly after, barely pausing long enough to throw the articles on the bed before making a hasty retreat. Sarah glanced again at the blood on her dress thinking it was wise for the vampire not to hang around. She didn¡¯t want a repeat of the earlier events and hoped the woman had her hunger under control. Looking at Tom as he casually escorted Delia out of her room she wondered what he would do this time if the vampire got out of line.


    Making her way over to the clothing on the bed she was sure that nothing would fit her as the vampire¡¯s body lacked the curves of Sarah¡¯s figure. Sarah worked hard to keep her body in shape but her shape would probably be considered curvaceous compared to the straight lines of the owner of the donated clothing. As she went through the meagre pile she was barely able to suppress the groan that welled up inside her. The clothing the vampire had brought would fit, just, but it was as to be expected; black, tight, short and not at all the type of thing she would generally wear.


    Selecting a pair of black jeans, luckily with no holes in them, and a top that she was sure would be both tight and short and was animatedly sporting a picture of a skull with horns, she tried to feel grateful that she had anything to wear at all. She wasn¡¯t going to walk around in a dress with blood on it, as she had already seen how dangerous that was and could imagine what damage it could do if she had to go downstairs. Biting her tongue she walked into the small bathroom, closing the door firmly as she noticed that Tom seemed in no hurry to leave her room.


    Looking at herself in the mirror after she had donned the clothing she nearly laughed at the reflection staring back at her. She had pulled her long hair up into a somewhat messy ponytail and with the unusual clothing, she thought no one she knew would recognise her. She had been correct that the top was tight and short, the hem only just reached the top of her jeans so she had to keep pulling it down to completely cover her midriff when she moved. She was grateful that she had washed her underwear the night before so she didn¡¯t have to borrow that as well, absurdly she wondered if the vampire wore any.


    Still, the clothing fit and she couldn¡¯t help a tiny smile of pride at her appearance in the tight outfit. This thought was confirmed as she walked out of the bathroom and saw the look of appreciation on Tom¡¯s face as he quickly pocketed his cards. He looked at her intently for a moment, the air hung heavy between them as Sarah became increasingly uncomfortable. Her earlier bravado about her appearance dissolved in the rising tension in the room. He moved towards her as she continued to stand just outside the doorway of the bathroom unsure of what to do. The look he had given her mixed with his movements made her breath catch for a moment.


    Tom moved past her into the bathroom and Sarah was surprised by a rush of disappointment. The feeling was quickly pushed aside though as she watched Tom grab the stained bridesmaid clothing that she had discarded on the floor. Suddenly she felt untidy and slobby, she didn¡¯t usually leave her clothing lying around but hadn¡¯t wanted to touch the garments again. She was just about to say something, although she wasn¡¯t sure what she would say as it was her room, but his next action made the words still on her tongue.


    Tom dropped the dress into the empty bathtub and as he did she saw something flash from his hand down onto the dress. Sarah yelped and jumped back as she saw the dress catch on fire and within moments was gone. The tiny bit of ash that remained was quickly washed down the drain.


    He turned away from the tub and she made room for him to move past her as she stood dumbfounded in the doorway. She watched wordlessly as he returned to the tub and went through the same procedure with the bloodied bedclothes. He walked back towards her, his expression calm as if burning clothing wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary.


    ¡®I thought we¡¯d go back to your car today,¡¯ Tom said as he moved out of the bathroom and across the bedroom.


    Spinning around Sarah nodded, too surprised by his actions to answer. She was starting to get the impression that this man had more power and control than she could imagine. It wasn¡¯t just the odd things he did, it was the way he did them with such confidence. It was unnerving.


    Tom hadn¡¯t needed an answer as he continued. ¡®It¡¯s believed the banshees can sense when a lot of magic is being used, so we will have to avoid teleporting or summoning your items once outside. A few days ago it would have been OK but now they are closer than we expected them to be.¡¯ Sarah nodded dumbly in response. ¡®So, we have to do things the mortal way,¡¯ he added with a wry smile. ¡®We¡¯ll leave after breakfast.¡¯


    She was about to ask about breakfast when she followed his gaze to the tray of food on the dressing table. She knew it hadn¡¯t been there a moment ago and resisted the urge to ask how it had gotten there, knowing what the answer would be. As she moved over to it, she realised she wasn¡¯t going to be eating alone by the two plates on the tray and felt glad. Her stomach tightened at the thought of eating, hungry was the last thing she was feeling after all the events she had been through, but she took a plate and moved to the newly stripped bed opposite the armchair he had been sitting in earlier.


    Sarah looked at the food on her plate hoping that it was edible. The more she learnt about this house of Tom¡¯s friend the more reservations she had about every part of her stay there. She remembered the jars and oddities in the kitchen and realised they wouldn¡¯t be the only creatures in the building having breakfast. The thought made her feel sick.


    An image of the woman saying that the dining room was no place for someone like Sarah flittered through her mind. The comment made more sense to her now and she was less insulted by the woman¡¯s actions. She was sure she wouldn¡¯t want to be in that dining room watching those monsters eating their unholy meals.


    Looking away from her breakfast she glanced at the still-closed curtains, wondering if she had left them open would the sunlight have deterred the vampire in her room? Remembering the nailed-closed curtains of the rooms downstairs she thought it might be true, but surely a realm devoted to the supernatural would be kinder to these creatures. Ignoring how silly she would sound, she cleared her throat self-consciously before asking, ¡®Does this sunlight, umm, hurt these creatures like our sun is supposed to?¡¯


    Tom nodded slowly before answering cryptically, ¡®This is your sun.¡¯


    The relief she felt that he had taken her question seriously was short-lived as it was overtaken by her confusion at his answer. Realising that further questions would just bring further confusion she ignored her urge to press further and took a small bite of her buttery toast. As the smell and taste of the food reached her senses she realised just how hungry she was, the events of the night having drained her more than she realised. Soon the plate was empty in front of her.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Walking down the stairs with Tom at her side Sarah had a moment of pure fright as she saw that the room at the bottom was again full of creatures. There seemed to be more of them than the day before and the memory of those fangs and claws, especially now that she knew they weren¡¯t just props, made her insides feel weak. She faltered in her descent as the faces began to slowly turn towards her, as one by one the creatures became aware of her presence. Swallowing down her revulsion she noticed their reactions as they sensed her; flared nostrils catching her scent, hungry tongues twitching over lips and dark soulless eyes seeking her out.


    Tom stopped beside her and she took the opportunity to assess what she would be walking into in a moment or two. He didn¡¯t seem to be in any hurry as they stood there quietly, patiently, giving her time. Likewise, the creatures below didn¡¯t move, even their gazes stayed transfixed on her, and she had the odd impression the moment was suspended in time. She had a brief flash of an image, almost like an out-of-body experience, of herself looking down on them all from above and couldn¡¯t help wonder at the absurdity she had found herself in.


    Assessing the almost still-life scene below her she wondered about the creatures. She had always believed in knowledge overcoming fear and wished she knew more about the dangers she faced, even which creatures to be more afraid of, as she was sure her limited knowledge from the fantasy books she had read would be inadequate in her current situation. As if reading her mind Tom spoke quietly.


    ¡®See that group over by the window?¡¯ he spoke without pointing, his voice low as if to avoid drawing more attention to them. Sarah nodded as she noticed a group of young men, she counted five youths and one older man that she could imagine were all part of some sort of gang that she wouldn¡¯t want to cross. ¡®Werewolves,¡¯ Tom stated simply.


    She looked at the youths and wondered how they had become the creatures of lore. They all looked so similar to each other that they could have been related and she momentarily felt something akin to sympathy for the group. The feeling fled as she saw one of the youths grinning at her before running his tongue over his lips and laughing. She wasn¡¯t sure if his taunting implied hunger or something else.


    ¡®What no female werewolves?¡¯ she tried to sound flippant but her words nearly caught in her throat as she shoved them out of her mouth.


    ¡®Not here,¡¯ Tom answered simply before continuing. ¡®That group over with Delia ¡­¡¯ She searched the faces below until she caught sight of the vampire, her features were transformed into the demonic mask she had worn earlier that day in Sarah¡¯s room and as she looked at the man and two women standing next to her she didn¡¯t have to be told they were vampires as well, although Tom still said the word.


    ¡®What about those women?¡¯


    Taking Tom¡¯s earlier lead Sarah was reluctant to point so instead just gazed at the small group of beautiful women. They looked harmless compared to the others in the room and as she watched them, smiling and laughing in a friendly manner, she felt herself compelled to meet them. She was sure they would be willing to help her and felt herself almost smile back at the intoxicating group.


    ¡®Nymphs.¡¯ At Tom¡¯s words, the illusion vanished and Sarah caught hold of her emotions in confusion. ¡®Mostly harmless,¡¯ he continued. ¡®But not to you, especially if they felt you had wronged them. Or they were bored. The rest you see are hags,¡¯ Sarah¡¯s eyes instantly moved to one of the older women scattered around below her. ¡®Changelings and of course the giant leeches.¡¯


    She barely suppressed the shudder at the term leech and was surprised there was more than one in the building, one had been more than enough to give her nightmares.


    Her gaze was still on the old woman below her, the hag, and she didn¡¯t need an account of what those women did. She could tell by looking at her deformed face and maniacal gestures that hag was just another word for witch. The woman looked like she had just jumped out of Sarah¡¯s childhood fairy tale book after trying to stuff some children into an oven or cursing a princess. She felt a moment of pure fear as she remembered the stolen strands of her hair.


    Sarah was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to continue to descend into the death pit of a room below her. She had to admit that this was one time where knowledge hadn¡¯t helped her, as her rational mind tried to sort out the fact from fantasy. Her body felt as though she was made of stone as panic began to rise. She grabbed hold of the railing tightly as if to stop herself from falling.


    Slowly she became aware of a warmth travelling up her other arm from where Tom¡¯s hand lightly encircled her wrist. She remembered his comment about his touch and protection and suddenly the touch felt reassuring rather than her earlier thought of it being restricting. Bracing herself she willed her body into movement and they continued slowly descending towards the crowd.


    ¡®They look so human,¡¯ Sarah whispered, not taking her eyes off the mass below them. If she avoided looking at their eyes, she would think they were regular people.


    ¡®They are humanoid creatures,¡¯ Tom explained quietly as if this explained everything. She looked at him in irritation and he continued, ¡®creatures that have the appearance of humans.¡¯


    ¡®What about the creatures that don¡¯t look like humans?¡¯ Sarah had to ask. All the faces below her were familiar in their human appearance and yet she found them to be some of the most terrifying faces she had ever seen. She wasn¡¯t sure what she would do if she saw a creature that didn¡¯t have any resemblance to normal.


    ¡®They aren¡¯t here,¡¯ Tom reassured. It would have been more reassuring for him to say that they didn¡¯t exist but Sarah was content to take whatever assurance she could from the conversation. ¡®The creatures here have all been invited by my f ¡­ friend,¡¯ he stammered, catching himself at the last minute. She wondered over this slip, it wasn¡¯t the only time he had stumbled on the term. ¡®They are all known to him and they are all ones that have common interests and get along reasonably well with each other.¡¯


    Sarah pondered his comment. She had assumed that all the monsters would get along - them versus her, a bad versus good situation ¨C and hadn¡¯t thought about them fighting with each other. She quickly realised she would not want to see a fight between any of the otherworldly creatures waiting in the room below.


    ¡®What sorts of common interests?¡¯ The morbid curiosity within her forced the words out of her mouth while her mind screamed at her to let it rest. She was sure it wasn¡¯t board games and walks in the park that interested them.


    ¡®They are all ones that visit your world regularly.¡¯


    Sarah wondered why they would visit her world, as Tom had said there were hundreds of realms to choose from and was curious what would make her realm so appealing. She didn¡¯t think it would be easy for the monsters to hide what they were in the real world and thought it would be easier for them to stay in a place where they could just be natural. Noticing again the hunger and lustful joy on the faces of the mob nearby she quickly realised that she might not want to know. The other realms may not be as appetising.


    Sarah wanted to ask more questions, there was just so much strangeness to comprehend, but as her high-heel boot stepped off the last stair she was aware of her mouth drying up and her throat closing on the words as she found herself on the same level as the creatures. She couldn¡¯t have spoken if she had wanted to, and the sudden quiet of the room didn¡¯t make her want to either. As they moved through the crowd, she avoided looking into those dark orbs that she could feel peering at her from the faces of the creatures in the dim room.


    She sensed they knew that things were different with her now. It was as if they could tell she had changed more than her clothing since they had last seen her. Her attitude had been altered during the night, her fear towards them was heightened and tinged with knowledge. She hadn¡¯t known the truth about them yesterday when they had been willing to fight over her as Tom lay at her feet unable to help, but now she knew their secrets. Still, she knew the knowledge wouldn¡¯t save her from being a meal.


    They must have heard her scream during the night and were probably as curious about what had happened as Delia had seemed to be. Yet she saw no emotion on their faces as she passed; no relief that she was alright, no empathy for what she had endured or even anger at what had happened to someone in the same building as them. Instead, all she saw was hunger and evil, a desire from each of them to be the one to claim her. She knew that any one of them would end her life in a moment if Tom gave them even half a chance, she was just a food source to most of them, a big, juicy steak that was being walked around to tempt them.


    Nearing one of the windows Sarah had a quick urge to throw off the heavy curtains and let all the monsters burn. She wasn¡¯t sure if it would work for all of the creatures in the room, and she knew it would cost her life if any survived, but strangely she felt that exacting revenge on even a few of the creatures would be worth it. Hearing a growl from one dark corner of the terrible room quickly made any such impulses flee in fear and confusion. Feeling Tom¡¯s hand tighten on her wrist at the same time made her wonder, was she so easy for every creature in the room to read, including him, and was his squeeze a sign of protection or a warning. She still didn¡¯t know which side he was on.


    As Tom led Sarah towards the door, he wondered just how else he was going to be punished for his act of kindness. He fleetingly returned to his daydream of having left her on the side of the road, a thought he instantly dismissed as he knew what would have happened to her. It was too late for regret anyway, he would just have to use his skills to get her out alive; if he could. Still, as he could feel the burning looks from the creatures he passed, he groaned silently and condemned himself again.


    Feeling her tension as she moved, almost robotically, beside him he sent out more magic through his touch as he tried again to soothe her while keeping them moving. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the monsters in the room, he knew they wouldn¡¯t hurt him, but he knew what they would do to Sarah if he even hinted at indecision. His momentary blackout the day before was enough proof if he needed any. They were listening to him, so far, but it was under protest and there wasn¡¯t a single creature in the building that he could trust with a human. He needed to stay in control if he was going to pull off this performance.


    As they neared the front door, he braced himself for what might be outside. Ignoring the mounting fatigue from lack of sleep and the constant use of his magic he focused instead on the danger surrounding them, both within the building as well as the dangers outside. The threat inside he could manage, for now, but he felt helpless against the things that were hunting outside, hiding in the cloud. He tried again and couldn¡¯t sense anything amiss beyond the walls of the building but that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t there, he had missed them before.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what he would do if he couldn¡¯t get Sarah back to her realm this time. It wasn¡¯t safe for him to keep trying to go outside, especially if he couldn¡¯t sense when the creatures were close. Still, he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her in the building for much longer.


    Even though he had placed wards around her room in every way possible he couldn¡¯t count on her to stay within the safety he had created for her. All she had to do was walk out her door without him for one of the creatures to pounce. Then there was the constant threat of the creatures getting creative, they were bored being cooped up inside. She was a diversion and an intriguing one.


    Tom hated all the indecision and uncertainty he felt, it was unfamiliar to him. Under normal circumstances, he always had a plan but these circumstances were far from normal, even for him. The pressure was getting to him and the tiredness wasn¡¯t helping. Still, he had to keep pushing himself, for his own sake as much as for Sarah¡¯s.


    He opened the front door of the mansion and peered out into the daylight. There was no sign of clouds, real or supernatural, and the morning haze had already dispersed. Hesitantly he ushered Sarah outside, keeping an eye on the horizon and any threat that might be lurking. Stepping outside after her he closed the front door firmly, once again taking in their surroundings before giving her a small nod and beginning to make his way to his car. He sensed more than saw her following closely behind.


    His heart hammered as he moved the short distance to where his car was parked. It was in the same place he had left it on the night they had arrived, it wasn¡¯t as if any of the creatures were going to complain about him blocking the driveway. He reached the vehicle and stretched his hand out to touch the hard metal to reassure himself that it was real. They had only been outside moments and had reached the car quickly but it had been long enough for him to nearly lose his senses.


    Jumping into the vehicle Tom felt the tightness of his chest ease and his breath came more freely once he heard the reassuring thud of Sarah¡¯s passenger side door closing, enclosing them in the impression of safety that the strong steel offered. He had never felt such fear before, had never even known fear before, and the tension he felt was dizzying. Doing his best to suppress it he hoped that Sarah hadn¡¯t noticed, now was not the time for her to lose confidence in him.


    As he started the car and drove away from the mansion Tom concentrated on the skies noticing Sarah doing likewise. There was nothing ominous, the sky was clear as far as he could see. Still, he couldn¡¯t relax, he knew how quickly they could appear and he continued to survey the horizon worriedly.


    ¡®When we get to your car we won¡¯t have time to fix it. The banshees could be on us at any time,¡¯ he said, laying out a plan while focusing on the road and sky simultaneously. He kept his tone calm and hands steady, maintaining the illusion of confidence. ¡®So just grab your things and I¡¯ll take you to the edge of this realm. You can go through the portal again and then take my car to your hotel.¡¯


    ¡®But what about you?¡¯ Sarah asked, there was a shock in her voice that he was sure would be in her expression as well if he had been able to take his eyes off the view outside his windscreen for long enough to check.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be fine,¡¯ he assured her, hoping to convey confidence he didn¡¯t feel. ¡®I won¡¯t cross the portal and I¡¯ll teleport back to the house once you¡¯re safely through.¡¯


    ¡®But won¡¯t the banshees know you¡¯re teleporting?¡¯


    Tom shook his head calmly as he inwardly cursed himself for telling her earlier about the banshee¡¯s sensing the use of magic. It would be easier if she didn¡¯t ask too many questions. ¡®I¡¯ll be gone before they have a chance to sense it,¡¯ he lied.


    Teleporting wasn¡¯t always an instant occurrence, it could take time to summon up the amount of magic needed and larger distances took larger amounts of magic. Using his magic might work as a beacon, leading the banshees straight to him. While he was preparing to teleport he would be a sitting duck. Still, this wasn¡¯t something he was about to share with her.


    ¡®You could come with me,¡¯ she said almost shyly after a few moments of silent driving, ¡®the other creatures ¡­ surely you would be safe from them in the real world.¡¯ He could tell that she was warming to her idea as she spoke, ¡®I mean you don¡¯t hear of strange clouds taking people there.¡¯


    ¡®Have you seen a tornado, I¡¯m sure poor Dorothy would disagree,¡¯ Tom answered humorously, he hated to crush her and tried to keep his tone light. For some reason, it mattered that she cared. Still, he needed to get her to safety. ¡®I¡¯m not safe there at the moment either. The banshees are still able to find us and they still take creatures, they are more subtle about it than here but having humans around doesn¡¯t stop them. That¡¯s why it was decided we¡¯d be safer here.¡¯ He hoped he had covered the bitterness of his tone, he didn¡¯t like being told what to do and the command to meet in this realm still rankled at him. He would have preferred to risk it with the banshees in the real world but now that he was here he knew he wouldn¡¯t be allowed to escape for long.


    ¡®But are you safe in that building? Can¡¯t they just come in and get you all?¡¯


    Tom shook his head again. ¡®The building is special, as you know.¡¯ He threw her a half-smile at his comment. ¡®It can protect us. For now.¡¯ The last words he mumbled under his breath but she must have caught the words or the tone.


    ¡®For how long?¡¯ she asked seriously.


    He hesitated to tell her more but he needed her to do what he said without resistance. One thing he knew about her already was that she was very good at resisting and answering her endless supply of questions seemed to help quieten her. Still, there were some things he wasn¡¯t willing to share.


    ¡®Someone¡¯s turning up soon. He¡¯ll be able to help us,¡¯ Tom put an edge of finality into his tone without sounding too harsh. He didn¡¯t want to talk anymore about his situation at the mansion and the man they were expecting.


    Tom turned his full attention back to the sky outside his windscreen, he wasn¡¯t afraid of much but there was something about those screeching banshees that disarmed him. There was also the fact that he didn¡¯t know what they and their masters were doing to the creatures they captured. He had always liked to know how things worked and why, it was what had gotten him interested in magic, illusions, in the first place. Not knowing what trick was being pulled on them now made him feel uneasy as if he were drowning at sea and any lifelines he might be thrown would probably lead him into even more trouble.


    As they neared where they had left her car Tom bit down hard on a groan. He could tell even in the distance that the car wasn¡¯t in the condition they had left it. As the vehicle came closer into view any hope of just restarting the car and sending Sarah on her way again disappeared, even though he knew that idea wasn¡¯t his most noble and wasn¡¯t the plan they had agreed on. Even if the car had been found in working order sending her out on her own into unknown peril from any kind of strange, hungry beasts without even knowing if she could find the road back to her world was inhuman of him. He smiled slightly at the term.


    Tom pulled up close to the damaged car, not wanting to venture outside the comforting protection of the steel shell of his vehicle that he had falsely assured himself was some defence against the things out there that would hurt them. He looked over at Sarah, surprised that she hadn¡¯t said anything or even made a sound as she looked out the front windscreen at the car that had transported her into this realm. Her pale face and the slack open mouth she wore didn¡¯t surprise him as she surveyed the twisted hunk of metal parked in front of them.


    Opening his car door Tom made a move to get out and have a closer look but suddenly Sarah¡¯s hand was on his shirt, balling the material into her fist as if to stop him.


    ¡®You can¡¯t go out there!¡¯ she spoke with certainty, tearing her eyes away from the scene of destruction as she impaled him with a matching look and tone.


    ¡®The things that did this to your car are long gone,¡¯ Tom answered her calmly. ¡®They only come out at night. The only thing we have to worry about is clouds.¡¯ The skies outside were still clear.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He watched her carefully as she turned her huge green eyes back to the wreck in front of them. Her hand was still on his shirt and he realised that it wasn¡¯t the things hiding in the clouds that she was afraid of now. If some beast had been able to do this to her car, she was probably wondering what they would have done to her if she hadn¡¯t gone with him that night. Tom didn¡¯t answer her unasked question and continued getting out, the feeble resistance of her hand slipping away from his shirt. He heard her slowly exhale before doing the same.


    He approached the wrecked car carefully, noticing the long gouges in the twisted metal, the shattered windows and the dented panels. The broken glass sounded loud in his ears as it crackled under his shoes. His senses were heightened by every sound.


    Reaching the driver¡¯s side door, he leaned in carefully through the smashed window to see if he could salvage anything. It appeared to be a lost cause. Her possessions were strewn all through the interior of the car, her wallet torn, money, cards and receipts all scattered. Opening the door to lean in further he located her phone, noticing the bite mark that had punched a hole, neatly, right through the centre of it, big enough that he could push his little finger through if he tried.


    Scooping up as much as he could, Tom dumped the items into the handbag he located on the passenger side floor. Locating the lever for the boot he eased himself out of the ruined vehicle and retrieved a small, faded suitcase from the back which had miraculously survived intact. Turning with the scant offering he faced Sarah who was standing right behind him, arms folded as if she were cold and that same pale shocked look on her face. She didn¡¯t move to take her bag from him, fear rooting her to the spot as her eyes took on a glazed unfocused look. She looked vulnerable with the blank look and in the borrowed clothing, no longer the confident, elegant woman he had picked up days before.


    Moving away from her he carefully stowed her things into his car, silently giving her a few moments to process the scene of destruction. He was worried about how much more she would be able to take, so far she had proven an ability to adapt but with each new development, he was sure it wouldn¡¯t be long before she completely broke down. If that happened, he wasn¡¯t sure what he would be able to do to help her. He had never been in a situation where he had to put someone else¡¯s needs and emotions first, and he certainly had never wanted too before.


    Walking back to stand behind her he looked at the damage silently, trying to imagine how she must be feeling. It was pointless, he didn¡¯t have the experience to understand how someone human would feel. Instead, he opened his mind to her. It felt like invading her privacy but he wasn¡¯t sure how else to connect with her, the blank look she wore wasn¡¯t very inviting. He wasn¡¯t rewarded with much for his efforts but could sense some hazy emotions that helped to paint a bleak picture. Confusion, anger, hopelessness, anxiety and most prominently fear.


    Tom rested his hand gently on her shoulder, his thumb curling across the back of her neck. He closed his mind to her thoughts and resisted the urge to comfort her using magic. Instead, he just stood there with her. He hoped she would understand that it was as human as he could be.


    ¡®We have to go,¡¯ he hated the harshness of his tone as he dropped his hand back down harmlessly by his side. It frustrated him to not be able to help her but he couldn¡¯t risk using any more of his magic than he had to while outside. They were in danger every moment they were away from the mansion and any use of magic might be their downfall.


    Surprisingly Sarah turned to him immediately. ¡®Alright.¡¯


    She started moving back to his car decisively, calm and more in control than he had seen her since he had revealed what was going on at the mansion. He was temporarily stunned by the transformation but didn¡¯t waste time looking for answers as he followed her back to his car.


    When Sarah had looked at the twisted car-shaped mess in front of her she hadn¡¯t been able to believe it was the same vehicle that she had been driving a short time before. The same car that had taken her from her sister¡¯s wedding, a day that had been so beautiful and serene, and deposited her into the nightmare she now found herself in. It was unrecognisable, and with its destruction went the last of her delusions.


    She hadn¡¯t bothered to help Tom look for her stuff, it had felt irrelevant. There had been just this overwhelming hopelessness inside her and her mind had gone blank with the horror of it all. Now she completely understood the danger she was in, the danger that Tom had been telling her about since he had found her. Still, being told and seeing the carnage were completely different things and she shuddered with the fear that had been on the edge of her being, a constant companion since the ghosts had hurt her. Their attack paled compared to what the other creatures would do to her.


    When Tom had come up behind her, she still hadn¡¯t been able to tear her eyes away from the car, her last link to independent freedom had sat crumpled and twisted in front of her. She had felt his touch and drew some comfort from it, knowing she wasn¡¯t completely alone. They had to leave and she knew it was true, they couldn¡¯t stay there and there was nothing to stay for. A wave of rousing anger had flared inside her as she made her way back to his car. She would not live in fear anymore.


    They drove on in silence. Sarah nursed the sparks of her anger as they drove, worried about the all-consuming fear returning. She kept reminding herself that she would only have to endure this place and the horror it contained for a short time longer. Soon she would be home.


    Wordlessly she looked at the landscape, although there wasn¡¯t much to see. There were no houses, wildlife, traffic or anything remarkable to navigate with. Instead, there was just grassy flat ground interspersed with a few trees here and there. The sun was warm and bright in the blue sky and the trees were familiar but there was something about the area that assured her that she was in a foreign place.


    Suddenly Tom stopped the car. They were in the middle of the road surrounded by nothing but grass on either side. Nothing was interesting about the place where they had pulled up and she turned to him in question.


    ¡®I guess you can¡¯t see it,¡¯ he said with a reassuring smile. ¡®Just in front of us is the portal.¡¯


    Sarah looked out the front windscreen into the land that looked as unremarkable as it had moments before. There were no hazy lights or glimpses of another world on the other side and she felt a moment¡¯s disappointment.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to trust you,¡¯ she spoke without bitterness, resigned that she couldn¡¯t do any of this without him and relieved that she couldn¡¯t. This was not a place she wanted to be on her own. Soon it will all be over, she reminded herself again.


    ¡®She¡¯s all yours,¡¯ Tom indicated to the car as he kept his tone light, and she was glad for it.


    Getting out of the car Sarah quickly made her way around to the driver¡¯s side and slipped in behind the wheel. Under normal circumstances, she would have loved the chance to drive such an impressive-looking vehicle but there was nothing about these circumstances that was normal.


    ¡®I¡¯ll look after her for you,¡¯ she said seriously as he leant through the window towards her, knowing it must have been hard for him to lend his car to a virtual stranger. If it had been her car there was no way she would loan it out. She knew she was only talking about the car because it made it easier to ignore the danger he was putting himself in for her to get away safely. There were no words that she knew of to convey how grateful she was. Instead, she just prayed he was right about being able to get back to the mansion before the banshees found him. ¡®How will I return her to you?¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll find you,¡¯ Tom winked as he spoke and she didn¡¯t doubt that he would be able to locate his car wherever she took it. She suppressed the idea of going on a nice long road trip before he came looking for her. ¡®Just drive straight ahead,¡¯ he continued, pointing at the plain road in front of her. ¡®I¡¯ll do the rest. And before you know it you will be back home.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you, Tom,¡¯ she spoke softly, hoping to convey all the appreciation she was feeling in those few words.


    Turning quickly from him, silently amazed at how hard it was becoming to say goodbye to the man that had saved her countless times, she focused on the task at hand.


    Driving the car the short distance forward didn¡¯t take much concentration but keeping her mind on the place she wanted to go to did. Tom had said her only job was to point the car in the right direction and he would do the rest, but she remembered him saying that you decided where the portal was to take you once you were crossing through it.


    Not taking any chances with the portal she kept her mind focused on home and even thought about her sister for good measure. Sarah couldn¡¯t be sure when she was supposed to have crossed the portal but as she continued rolling down the road with no change to the scenery and with the image of Tom still caught in the rear-view mirror, she knew that something had gone wrong.


    As the car began to reverse back to him Tom tried to cover the defeat he was feeling. He knew he could set a portal¡¯s destination without crossing through it himself, he had done it many times before. There hadn¡¯t always been much entertainment around for a young boy with magic, his life had been mostly made up of lessons and strict guidance so changing the destination on a portal while someone was passing through had been a pretty amusing prank. Still, the car hadn¡¯t passed through. There was something more going on. He again had the feeling of being controlled by a puppeteer and he wasn¡¯t happy about it.


    He watched wordlessly as Sarah got out of the car and moved decisively towards the spot where the portal was. He wasn¡¯t sure what she was looking for but wasn¡¯t about to tell her when she unknowingly stepped through the portal again, and again nothing happened. Turning she moved back into the realm with him and he sighed with relief. If he had tried to grab her he might have found himself in another realm and she would have been left alone in this one for the few moments it would have taken him to return. Moments that could be devastating in these surroundings. He kept his expression neutral as he willed her to stay where she was.


    Knowing he would have to be careful how he told her that their plan had failed he braced himself for her questions. He wondered how she was going to take the news that they only had one option; to return to the relative safety of the house. He opened his mouth to explain but before he could form the words he heard a noise, unfortunately, a familiar noise. Sprinting the few steps between them Tom grabbed Sarah¡¯s arm roughly and half dragged her towards his car, not wasting a moment on speech and ignoring the look of concern that creased her face.


    It had been a risk to use his magic on the portal, it took more magic than he had implied and he was sure the banshees would have sensed it. He had known from the start that if they hadn¡¯t noticed the use of his magic on the portal then they definitely would have sensed him trying to teleport. He hadn¡¯t planned on getting out of this situation without being captured, he had accepted it as it had been the only way to get Sarah back to the safety of her realm. It hadn¡¯t worked, she was still there with him. He could feel his fear from earlier returning, the fear that had never been for his own safety.


    The noise was getting louder, he could feel it arc through his body like electricity. The feeling intensified as it started to overcome his senses. He tried to focus through the pain, his one thought was to get Sarah to safety. If only he could get them into the car he could drive them to her realm.


    Even while he tried to act out his plan Tom knew that it was too late for them. There was nowhere to hide. The house was too far away, the car wouldn¡¯t offer any protection on its own and the banshees would just follow them to whichever realm he chose if he could even get the portal to work. Still, he had to try.


    As they moved, he could tell the moment Sarah heard the noise too. The shock that had stiffened her limbs seemed to evaporate as she began to move more on her own propulsion than his. He stumbled with the suddenness of the change and too weak to catch himself fell to the ground, crawling the short distance to crouch next to his car. He looked up longingly at the door handle knowing he didn¡¯t have the strength left to reach up and grab it, dashing his last hope of escape. As he looked at Sarah he could tell she knew it as well; the banshees had found them.


    They huddled together and he spoke into her ear, having to yell over the rush of noise as the creatures centred in on them. ¡®Close your eyes no matter what.¡¯


    He hoped she had heard as anything she might have said was swallowed up in the noise surrounding them before it could reach him. Memories echoed through his mind of the creatures finding him the day before; the noise and the pain, the paralysis and the anguish but most devastatingly the loss of his magic. He could feel it happening again. It felt like the creatures were reaching inside of him and painstakingly carving out a part of him that was deeply enmeshed into every fibre of his body.


    Tom wished he could cover his ears against the noise, although he was sure it wouldn¡¯t help, he couldn¡¯t let go of Sarah. It was as if the noise was coming from within him and outside of him at the same time. He was becoming the noise as it entered his being, tearing him apart and rebuilding him in moments, each shriek from the banshees more painful than the last. It was something that every part of him was repelled from but was something he couldn¡¯t escape.


    Tom squeezed his eyes closed tighter against the dark light that had surrounded him but it didn¡¯t help. The evil glow of the light joined with the sound as it also became a part of him and overcame his senses, draining away any strength he had left. He became more sensation than man as he lost knowledge of where his body ended and where the outside forces began. All he knew was pain. He felt himself falling through the blackness as it claimed him.


    Sarah could hear the noises. She had covered her ears but it did little against the screeching and she could see the darkness surrounding her even through her closed eyes. Her fear paralysed her and remembering the effect of the creatures on Tom she hoped he was all right. She could no longer feel him holding her, or even feel him close to her, it was as if her skin was numb and her senses all off-kilter. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was still with her and felt her fear heighten at the thought that she might now be alone with the creatures.


    Suddenly the screaming abated and the silence that surrounded her felt eerie and disconcerting after the assault on her ears. She had the odd impression that the noise was still out there on the other side of a buffer, almost as if she was enclosed within the darkness. Another noise replaced the shrieking, a sound like birds flapping their wings or leaves caught up in the wind and soon she became aware of a sensation of movement. The sensation continued as she felt propelled in a strange almost dreamlike way upwards and outwards, almost like floating but there was also the impression of speed.


    Ignoring Tom¡¯s earlier request, she couldn¡¯t help but open her eyes a crack. She could see only blackness but it was a raging darkness like fire around her, the tongues of flames as dark as night. Trying to close her eyes again against the image she found they wouldn¡¯t obey. Her rebellious eyes widened and she suddenly found she couldn¡¯t blink.


    The darkness was mesmerising and as she watched she soon didn¡¯t want to look away for fear of missing a moment of the darkly hypnotic dance. Sarah knew that the dance wasn¡¯t only around her, it was everywhere, and she focused on the movement she was submerged in. It surrounded her, immersed her and overtook her.


    As the sensations continued her fear started to abate, replaced by an odd calmness that felt like it was coming from outside her being. It had a tranquil quality that she could immerse herself into completely and never care about another thing again. There was no pain or discomfort, no worry or fear. She remembered a distant concern of not knowing where she was going and dizzying vertigo created by the sensations overtaking her but those feelings were beyond her now. Her mind gave up any resistance as she accepted what was happening to her, a heavy lethargy replacing the earlier fear and revulsion. She hoped the sensation would never end.


    After what felt like an eternity, she realised that the calm feeling was subsiding. She felt lost without it as if a part of her was leaving too but as the seconds passed she realised the feeling had eased to a state that she wondered if she had felt anything at all. Like waking up from a dream when you weren¡¯t even aware that you were asleep, the last wisps of dreams slipping off to another world while your brain focuses on what you have woken to.


    At this thought, she climbed carefully to her knees on the gritty hard ground and looked around slowly. Even though the lighting was dim she instantly could tell that she had never been in the place before, and she had no idea how she had come to be there. She was no longer anywhere near Tom¡¯s car, nor even outside.


    Sarah leant forward at the hips, peering out into the gloom without making too much movement. She could see that she was inside a large room, similar to a warehouse or loading bay but with a low ceiling and more length to the room than width. To one side of her, there was a large solid wall that appeared to be made out of some strange material almost like natural stone in a cave. Looking to the other side her blood ran cold; there were cages as far as she could see.


    As her brain filtered this information she realised with a start that she was also in a large cage, similar to a prison cell in a movie. She could now make out the old bars in front of her and on her left. Bars that connected to the cage beside hers, enabling her to see uninterrupted through to the cages beyond. Feeling dizzy from the bars crisscrossing her vision in the dim room she looked again in front of her, focusing on the narrow strip of ground between her and the row of cages opposite.


    Shuffling toward it carefully in the dimness she cried out in shock as her hand came in contact with something. Something she hadn¡¯t expected in her cage, something like fabric and flesh. She wasn¡¯t alone. There was someone in there with her and she prayed that whatever was so close beside her, close enough to nearly touch her with its body, was human.


    Steeling herself she risked a glance and breathed a sigh of relief as she recognised the magician. The fact that he wasn¡¯t completely human didn¡¯t escape her judgement and she resisted the urge to rage at him that he was the reason she was in all this trouble in the first place. She knew it wasn¡¯t fair to blame him for their current situation but she wasn¡¯t feeling very gracious after finding herself trapped in a cage.


    Concern outweighed her bitterness as she noticed he wasn¡¯t moving. Tom was lying on his stomach, his face turned away from her and she quickly moved closer to check he was still alive. He had almost seemed immortal to her over the last few days, besides his first interaction with the banshees before she had known what he was, and she hadn¡¯t considered that the danger to him could be life-threatening.


    Rolling him onto his back she winced as he hit the ground, wondering why the impact didn¡¯t wake him. Placing her hand on his chest she felt the rhythmic movement, feeling relief that he was still breathing at least. Remembering how he had been after his first attack from the banshees she moved away again hoping he would recover on his own. She didn¡¯t know how else she could help him.


    Moving to the front of the cage Sarah looked around the vast room. The light seemed to be coming from the left and she wondered if that was the exit. Unfortunately, it seemed they were in the last cage so the lighting was poor and it was hard to make out much of the room while looking into the light. She let her eyes adjust to the gloom again and peered out at the cages beside hers and the row of ones on the other side of the narrow walkway.


    Most of the cages that she could see from her vantage point appeared to be occupied, although by the deathly hush in the room she had at first expected them to be empty. Not a sound emanated from the hunched, dejected forms she could see. The silence was unlike anything she had experienced before and she was startled when it was unexpectedly broken.


    It was a muttering coming from the cage directly opposite hers. The words weren¡¯t anything she recognised but she felt that the mumbling had started mid-sentence as if the person had been interrupted from their earlier rant. Not liking the madness of the rambling still she felt she had to try to communicate with the person, the others seemed even less approachable in their stony silence.


    She cleared her throat, ¡®Excuse me.¡¯


    There was movement in the cage opposite and Sarah quickly recoiled in horror as she saw the unhuman eyes peering back at her from the occupant. The gloom obscured the details of the creature as it crouched at the back of the cage. She tried not to look too closely, those eyes told her everything she needed to know about the monster and she didn¡¯t want to know what he was.


    ¡®So, they got themselves a human,¡¯ the creature spoke quietly, his masculine voice ringing out clearly in the vast room. It wasn¡¯t a question.


    ¡®Where are we?¡¯ Sarah asked before she could think of the dangers of talking to whatever creature was in that cage. She needed answers and she noticed that none of the other creatures appeared interested in their conversation.


    ¡®That¡¯s quite a delicacy,¡¯ he continued talking, not answering her question nor taking his feral eyes from her. ¡®They will be happy with that. Been a while since they had a tasty human.¡¯ He sniffed the air in curiosity. ¡®Ah, the other is a bit human too. Covered in magic though, kind of like all his human flesh has been marinated in it,¡¯ He spoke in disgust as if disappointed before chuckling longingly. ¡®Not as good as a human. It will be like the old days ¡­¡¯ His voice fell away quietly but it didn¡¯t disguise the edge it carried that matched the look in his evil eyes.


    Deciding she didn¡¯t want to hear anything else the creature had to say, and afraid of trying to continue their strange conversation, Sarah moved to the back of the cage with Tom, closing her ears to the insane ramblings of the monster that was now deciding the best way to eat a human. Apparently, there was more than one recipe and she was appalled, feeling bile rise into her throat at the descriptions and the images they invoked in her mind. The thought that his descriptions might be depicting her future made her stomach flip with fear. She closed her eyes and wished that she could go back again, back to Tom¡¯s car, back to the creepy building or better yet back to her home with her job and friends and nice normal life.


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work and as she opened her eyes again she saw the light dim at the other end of the large room and heard the shuffle of footsteps and instinctively knew that things were about to get worse. Grabbing Tom by the arm she tried to rouse him, urgently whispering his name and shaking him as best she could but it was useless, he wasn¡¯t going to be able to help her. She didn¡¯t get any time to try again as she heard the scrape of feet on the flooring nearby and she knew they were coming for her.


    The monster in the cage across from her had given up his ramblings and was now chanting and screaming in a feverish state. She saw the large shape of the newcomer as it approached and noticed how the other creatures moved away when it was near. Their stony silence was replaced with a chilling fear. The mad creature quietened down instantly as the creature closed in on her, the silence was almost a relief.


    Sarah stared up at the massive bulk of the creature as it turned towards her. It was hideously deformed and she was glad that the dim lighting hid most of the details of its deformity from her as she waited in fear for what would happen next. She knew that whatever it was it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant. The creature looked down at her with feral eyes, exactly like the ones owned by the mad thing in the other cage, any expression in them unreadable.


    As she looked into his eyes she realised that it had become impossible for her to look away. Deep in the orbs, it was wild and mesmerizing, like a dark fire, and although she willed herself to turn away she wasn¡¯t able to break the stare. As the creature opened the cage Sarah moved forward fluidly, as if unafraid of the creature in front of her, before standing beside him as if she was comfortable in his presence. Inside she was screaming, silently reeling as she tried to stop herself from following him meekly along the narrow path between the cages towards the door. She tried to take control over her disobedient appendages but nothing she did would work as she obediently followed him into the unknown.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    As Sarah moved along beside the creature, completely under his spell, she gave up trying to fight for the use of her unresponsive body and instead walked down the corridor obediently. The area was brightly lit compared to the room she had been in and the harshness hurt her eyes. Blinking away the pain she risked a few glances around. Oddly there was no obvious source for the strange glow that lit their path.


    She didn¡¯t dare glance at the creature walking with her, as she knew looking at the nightmarish monster would scare her witless, instead, she focused on the doorways they passed. Most of the rooms beyond were dark but she could just make out some cages in them, making her think they might be similar to the room she had come from. She realised she was in a prison of sorts.


    The walls and ceiling of the corridor were made from the same substance as the wall beside her cage and she could see now that it was in fact stone. Hard, solid stone without a join or edge to be seen. She realised that the prison hadn¡¯t been built, or not by usual methods, it was a cave. The walls were smooth and perfectly formed making her think that it had been tunnelled out of the rock deliberately and she wondered why anyone would want to use a cave as a prison. The answer came to her quickly, they were hiding.


    At the end of the corridor, they passed a large cavernous room. It was different to the prison cells by its vast size and also that it was well-lit, similar to the corridor. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at the scene inside as she walked past. It confused her as it seemed so out of place in a prison.


    In the middle of the space was a large table like in a dining room but without any chairs in sight. Instead of a meal being laid out on the table, the surface was covered in old-fashioned goblets, glasses and canisters, the type she would assume held alcohol by their shape. Her view of the table was almost completely obliterated though by the female creatures in the room. They were drinking from large goblets that they refilled and snatched at as they behaved in a barbaric fashion.


    She noticed the women were all different in appearance. Some were young and lithe while others were old and skeletal but they all had long, silver-white, dishevelled hair that reminded Sarah of the dark flames that had surrounded her on her journey there. Wearing torn dresses of an array of dull colours from ghostly white to muted reds and greens they looked like angry fairies fighting over their beverages.


    Her passing with the guard caught the attention of one of the creatures and she felt her stomach drop to the floor as the woman turned and looked at her with an angry gleam in her red burning eyes. Sarah found herself unable to turn away as she watched the creature¡¯s deathly pale face writhe in agony as her mouth stretched open in an unnatural way. The drink she had been consuming dribbled from the creature¡¯s mouth and down her chin. Her tattered dress was covered in similar splatters.


    The banshee moved towards them with haste and if Sarah had been in control of her body, she would have scampered away in fright but the woman came up short at the doorway, unwilling or unable to come any closer. Instead, her deformed mouth twitched into an odd smile at Sarah¡¯s revulsion, her sharp teeth gleaming in her mouth with the act. Sarah quickly glanced away from the creature, her eyes focusing instead on the strange designs on the wall above the opening. Holding her breath, she kept her eyes glued on the markings until they had walked past the door and left the celebrating creatures behind.


    After the doorway, they approached a sort of ramp that created a slow, gradual climb upwards before opening to another corridor. She noticed that this corridor was similar to the one they had just walked through, made out of the same rock and with doorways leading off on either side. Keeping her eyes firmly on the path in front of her she refused to look inside any of them. Her mind was becoming too busy worrying about the possible outcomes once they reached their destination to take in much more of her surroundings anyway.


    They approached another ramp, again upwards but this one turned before levelling out into yet another corridor. The pattern continued, ever upwards from the prison but the turning created a lopsided, spiral pattern making her wonder just how big the cave was. They didn¡¯t see any other creatures as they moved through the building, it had an empty, hollow feeling in some areas as if they were seldom used.


    Finally, after countless corridors, she and her guide climbed the final ramp and entered a large, intimidating room. There were no other doors leading off this room and the only entrance was the one they had used. At the far end, she could see more of the hateful beasts like the one she had been following but besides the few creatures in front of her, the large room was unoccupied, leaving it feeling barren and empty. Not that the beasts weren¡¯t large and menacing, but the room was massive and she had the feeling it was meant to hold many more of the creatures. It felt like an important room of some sort, like a courtroom or a ruler¡¯s chambers, a place where judgements would be passed and swiftly followed through. The thought terrified her more.


    As they approached the other beasts, she could see the only furnishing in the impressive chamber was a large stone table stretching across the room, the carvings on its surface marred and barely distinguishable under the scars of use. The wall behind was bare save for some script that appeared to be burned into the surface, each letter nearly half as tall as her and spanning from about head height upwards. She had no idea what the symbols meant but she knew instinctively that they were important to these beings and that this room was important because of them.


    Behind the table - her mind steered away from the term ¡°altar¡± - stood three of the beasts. The room was silent, the footsteps of her guide and her own echoing out hollowly as they approached, and she wondered where all the creatures were. She could guess that with such a big room, and from what she had seen of the size of the dwelling, there would be more hidden away in the depths of the cave. Feeling glad that they hadn¡¯t decided to make an appearance she focused on the problem of dealing with four of the horrible creatures, sure they were more than enough for her. She felt as if she was trapped in a nightmare, one that was terrifyingly real.


    They stopped moving and she stood nervously beside her guide while the creatures growled and rumbled, communicating in a language she couldn¡¯t understand and was sure she didn¡¯t want to. It was obvious that they were talking about her by the way they were assessing her like she was some prized piece of meat and she wondered if this was how a cow felt. She immediately decided that if she got out of this alive she would consider becoming a vegetarian.


    As they conversed she concentrated on keeping her shaking limbs as still as possible. The control from her guide had eased with the commencement of the discussion but it hadn¡¯t eased enough for her to consider escaping, even if the fear that was buckling her knees would have let her try. Abandoning all thoughts of escape, as she knew she would be lucky to get two steps away before they caught her, instead she focused her mind on every detail of the room and the creatures in it. There wasn¡¯t much to keep her interested in the room and it didn¡¯t take long before she gave up on trying to decipher the script. Realising she couldn¡¯t put it off any longer she faced the creatures themselves.


    They were like nothing she had seen in either reality or fiction and they took her breath away with their absolute vileness. She wasn¡¯t a fan of scary movies but she thought that the movie industry was selling monsters short, as the creatures in front of her could never have come from the minds of humans. They were huge, grotesque and deformed, the basic shape of a human with arms and legs and head where they were supposed to be but that was where any similarity ended. Their eyes burned with an evil that she could only imagine, the inky depths marred with a feral green that hinted at an eternity of pain for anyone the beasts decided to victimise.


    Their skin was an oozing mass, a peeling layer hinting at the gore that lay beneath, covered with a slimy membrane. They wore no clothing, their shapes a bulky mess of deformity, lumps the size of a man¡¯s head covering their body, blisters and swelling covering those lumps and all was enclosed by the slimy outer layer. She looked back at their faces, carefully avoiding their eyes, hoping to see something familiar that she could latch on to. Bile rose in her throat as she focused on the crater where a nose should have been, loose flaps of skin where ears usually were and the slit of a mouth, filled with sharp points like a shark. She knew there was nothing human about these beasts, they made all the other evil creatures she had recently encountered seem tame and almost normal by comparison.


    Their guttural conversation seemed to go on forever and she wasn¡¯t sure if she should be impatient for it to stop, at least they weren¡¯t hurting her as they stood around talking. Still, she was tired, her legs ached and she couldn¡¯t help hoping that they would just decide about her already and at least do something. Risking a glance at the dark depths of one of the creature¡¯s eyes she hoped that whatever they decided resulted in a quick death, as she knew they would be capable of dealing her an agony her mind would never be able to comprehend. As if her wishing had worked she bit back on the fear awakened inside her as her guide moved towards her.


    She felt her legs moving, felt the fatigue leave them as they once again became numb to her senses and began moving on their own accord. Following her guide from the room, she feared where the beast would take her. As they moved along the corridors and ramps hope began to spark inside her as she realised that they were going back the way they had come. She had no way of being certain that they were headed to the prison, only that they were constantly heading downwards and she hoped that it wasn¡¯t also the way to the kitchen.


    Following the creature back through the old dwelling she took more notice this time of the strange layout of the cave-like structure. Bracing herself she even looked into the doorways, surprised to see that some led to stairs going either upwards or downwards. She wondered why the creature hadn¡¯t taken the stairs and looking at his sheer size decided that he wouldn¡¯t fit. There must have been people-sized creatures living there at some stage and she became curious about the previous inhabitants and their way of life. Had they lived together peacefully with these beasts or had they also been evil, powerful beings? Remembering the ramblings of the mad creature in the prison cage she thought that it had probably been a servant stairwell until the servants became less useful and were eaten.


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    Paying careful attention to everything she catalogued it all in her mind. It was a useful trick she had learnt to recall information later. It felt good to keep her mind busy and gave her hope as if the task of memorising the layout of the building would help her to escape. She was sure that Tom would be interested in any information she had found, that was if he had woken up yet.


    They walked through a doorway and she realised they were back in her prison as she recognised some of the creatures she had briefly noticed on their way out. This time she was able to pay more attention but still couldn¡¯t make out a great deal in the darkness. She missed the details of the first few cages before her eyes adjusted to the gloom, but in the next cage, she was able to make out a wolf. Thinking that it looked like any ordinary wolf, only bigger, she was surprised that it was cowering at the back of the cage as if in fear, its fur matted and grey as it trembled on arthritic limbs.


    The next cage she passed contained a man, old and wizened and seemingly harmless until he turned towards her and she noticed his fangs. They couldn¡¯t quite fit into his wilted mouth but the points sticking out still looked menacing to her. There were others she passed, men and women, all frail and scared. Remembering all the doors she had walked passed in the outside corridor, she wondered how many creatures were being held in the dark prisons.


    She was almost relieved to recognise the ramblings of the insane creature, knowing she would soon be back in the safety of her cell. It seemed ironic to her that she would consider her prison safe but she was eager to be away from the vile creature that was walking with her, eager to have the use of her legs and free will again and also, she was eager to see Tom. When she finally saw him, she was sure that if she had been given the use of her legs, they wouldn¡¯t have held her up. He was awake, standing against the cage, hands gripping the bars and his head down, the shadow of his dark hair hiding his expression. She didn¡¯t need to see his face to know his despair, she could see it in every line of his body.


    They moved towards him steadily. She would have moved quicker, would have run to the safety of the cage if she could but she still wasn¡¯t in control of her legs. Sarah watched as Tom looked up at their approach and saw the look on his face that matched her interpretation of his body language. The look cut her as his despair reached her. There was a vulnerability in that look, something that she would never have expected to see on the face of the man that had always been so sure of himself.


    The beast stopped in front of the cage to unlock it and she obediently waited beside him, only dimly aware of the creature¡¯s movements. Instead, she was focusing on Tom inside the cage. She knew the moment he resumed his detached appearance, the moment he hid behind the magician¡¯s mask, but she had seen that other side of him. His gaze swept over her quickly as if to make sure she was all right before the last glimpse of concern slipped behind the unreadable expression.


    She didn¡¯t have much time to register the monster¡¯s intent before the door to the cage was unlocked and she was pushed roughly inside. Tripping in the haste of the rough handling as well as from the sudden ability to use her legs she quickly put up her hand to protect her face from the fall. Expecting to feel hard unyielding rock she was surprised when instead she felt strong arms and a warm body next to hers.


    Catching her balance, she righted herself with Tom¡¯s help. Looking up at him she was intent on mumbling her thanks but the words died in her throat from his nearness and the memory of his unguarded expression. At that moment she felt a strong connection to him. He had just seemed so human.


    It was a heady moment but all too soon she was transported back to reality. Back to the cage, the dangers and the insane creature that was still rambling a list of menu selections. She moved away slowly, not quite looking at Tom, and put a few safe feet between them.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake,¡¯ she spoke without really thinking of the words but hoped that her tone would calm both the surreal moment and her raging pulse.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive,¡¯ Tom¡¯s response matched hers in tone.


    ¡®So ¡­ what do we do now? Can you use your magic and just teleport us out of here or something?¡¯


    Tom moved away, towards the door of the cage. ¡®Unfortunately, no. I can¡¯t use my magic here.¡¯ He withdrew something from his pocket and she was relieved to see that it wasn¡¯t his cards once again. She couldn¡¯t see what it was he was holding. ¡®But I¡¯m still planning on getting out of here. Unless you would prefer to stay for dinner?¡¯


    Not waiting for an answer Tom moved over to the door and started jiggling the lock.


    ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Sarah asked as she moved in for a closer look.


    In answer, Tom moved away from the lock and pushed open the door with a flourish. ¡®I¡¯m a magician remember? I know a few tricks.¡¯


    In answer, she rolled her eyes at him and his ridiculous magic trick and pushed past him out of the cage. Oh yes, she remembered he was a magician and that was all part of the craziness she had become caught up in. Still, she couldn¡¯t help smiling at his performance, his confidence might just be for show but it had certainly made her feel better.


    As they moved through the room towards the exit, she tried to think of which way they should go. She had walked through the corridors in the building and was sure she would be able to find her way back to the large chamber but they didn¡¯t want to end up in that intimidating room with those imposing monsters. Unfortunately, the little she had seen of the other rooms and stairwells didn¡¯t give her much confidence in their escape. Still, she would have a better idea than Tom, as he hadn¡¯t been out of the cage and had been asleep most of the time he had been captive, which was a scary thought.


    Tom stopped at the doorway before peering out into the strangely lit hallway while she tried to peer over his shoulder, which was no easy feat with his height. Still, she could tell the coast was clear so far. The hallway peeled off in either direction and she felt anxiety well up in her at the thought of navigating it wrong. Tom started to move, careful not to make a sound. Suddenly she grabbed his arm, achieving nothing more than grabbing a handful of his sleeve but thankfully it was enough to stop him.


    He moved his head slightly, still looking out into the hallway but also managing to angle his eyes her way in question. She was desperately trying to remember where she had seen the servant stairs on each level. It wasn¡¯t easy with some floors folding back over the lower ones while others had continued straight but she had been turning the problem over in her mind and felt confident she was right. She leaned up to get close to his ear to whisper.


    ¡®We need to go up,¡¯ her words were a breath and she hoped he had understood. ¡®I think there are stairs to the left.¡¯


    The nod he gave as a response didn¡¯t reassure her but as he moved silently from the room, she noticed he had taken her advice and she had little choice but to follow. They slipped silently out the door and into the hallway. Sarah could feel her heart in her throat choking her as she tried to quieten her every move and even her breathing. She felt sure that the loudness of her breathing shouldn¡¯t matter as the beasts could surely hear her heart which was beating so loud it sounded like a war drum heralding their approach.


    She started to panic at the idea and in a moment of frenzy almost turned back to hide in her safe cage. Feeling Tom¡¯s hand on hers she turned to face him, noticing the silent appeal in his eyes and the nod of encouragement he gave her. She focused on him, his assuring presence in an otherwise crazy world, as she slowed her breathing and gave in to the calmness she felt flowing through her from his touch. Only this time it wasn¡¯t from his magic.


    Tom continued to look at her until she nodded, confirming that she was feeling okay to continue before they moved along the corridor together. Sarah was relieved to see an archway further down, similar to the ones she had seen on the other levels that had contained stairs. She tugged slightly on Tom¡¯s hand and motioned marginally with her head to indicate the archway on the left, hoping she was correct and that the stairs would be there.


    Tom moved like a shadow down the corridor but Sarah, by comparison, felt her movements were clunky and awkward as she moved as stealthily as she could. Every noise echoed through the otherwise silent building and had her heart jumping up into her throat until she wasn¡¯t sure if she would survive the short walk to the archway. It felt like an eternity before Tom stopped and she was able to collapse against the wall as she waited for him to peer into the gloom that it contained. She held her breath waiting to hear if she had been right.


    He turned to her and nodded, a brief movement of his head that had relief coursing through her. She knew she didn¡¯t have it in her to go back the way they had come. Slowly they entered the archway and she ran her gaze upwards, noticing the crudely cut stairs in front of her. The lighting was dim and the area appeared to be lit by the same mysterious means as the hallway.


    They began their silent, slow ascent upwards. The steps were rough, some close together while others were deeper or too high, and the staircase zigzagged back oddly onto itself. It wasn¡¯t exactly a spiral, it was too random and haphazard for that, but it got you to the next level in a pretty similar way.


    Step after agonising step, slowly the next archway came towards them. As they approached it Sarah worried about finding the next flight of stairs. The staircase was dizzying and she wasn¡¯t sure where they would end up but she didn¡¯t like the idea of skulking through the hallways again. The stairs were hard work but they felt safer, especially as she was sure the evil creatures wouldn¡¯t fit in there with them.


    She held her breath as they slowly rounded the last bend and let it out again in a mixture of relief and despair as she noticed another earthen step peeking out at them a few paces away. There was another staircase leading up inside the archway they had arrived at and they would only have to quickly dart across the opening to reach the other set of stairs. Although she was relieved she wouldn¡¯t have to walk the hallway, she knew it also meant dragging her tired body up more stairs.


    They began their ascent again. Sarah lost track of how many stairs she had clambered up but she was bone-weary and she hoped they reached the top quickly. Unfortunately, they hadn¡¯t even reached the next archway yet and as she climbed she began to wonder if there was one. Maybe they would be lost in the staircase forever. Telling her tired imagination that they would escape she took a tight grip on her emotions and doggedly followed Tom up the stairs. He didn¡¯t even look tired.


    Suddenly there was a noise on the steps above them. It sounded again and she grabbed Tom¡¯s arm as she quickly placed the noise; something was descending towards them. She glanced around, already knowing they had nowhere to hide, the stairway was narrow with no archways leading off it and they wouldn¡¯t make it back to the last corridor before whatever it was that was coming down the stairs reached them.


    ¡®When I tell you to run, go,¡¯ Tom spoke quietly, his whisper barely reaching her ears. His eyes never moved from the stairs above them.


    Sarah tensed, as ready as she could be but unsure if she was ready for fight or flight. She didn¡¯t want to leave Tom, especially if he didn¡¯t have magic, but she knew that she would be useless to help him. They moved back against the wall, waiting for whatever creatures were descending the stairs to appear.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    The seconds stretched out endlessly as Sarah waited for the creatures to appear on the stairs in front of them. She could hear each footfall of their descent and knew it wouldn¡¯t be long. The surrealism she had felt earlier overcame her again, time seemed to slow around her as her brain told her the situation she was in just couldn¡¯t be real. Her heart pounded until she was sure she would pass out from the stress. The noises came closer and she jumped nervously as the first shape came into view.


    To her addled brain, the first creature that appeared before her looked a lot like the vampire that had wanted to attack her at the mansion; Delia. Following the vampire were two men that Sarah had seen before as well. She hadn¡¯t met either of the men, they both hadn¡¯t been present when Tom had explained all the monsters in the foyer to her earlier, and she wondered if they too were vampires. There was something about them that just didn¡¯t look quite right for vampires though, not that she was proficient with all the supernatural creatures that were out there.


    As they approached closer to where Sarah stood on the stairs, statue-still and pressed up against the wall ready to run back the way she had come, she realised that her mind wasn¡¯t playing tricks on her. For some reason, Delia and her friends were there in the strange building with them. She noticed the look that passed between Tom and the creatures, a look of appreciation and acceptance. No words were spoken and no one seemed intent on voicing their confusion or relief.


    Before Sarah had a chance to voice hers, she registered a noise behind them that hadn¡¯t been there moments ago. Turning back to look, she couldn¡¯t see anything from her vantage point but the noise was continuing and she had an absurd thought that it sounded like footsteps echoing upwards towards them. She knew the giant monsters couldn¡¯t fit into such a small stairwell. The realisation hit her like a bucket of ice water as she remembered the banshees - they would fit.


    She caught herself hoping it would be more of Tom¡¯s unusual friends but a glance at the non-human faces in front of her told her that hope was useless. Holding her breath she waited fearfully, knowing that the banshees would take them straight to those evil beings and that even these creatures and Tom would be useless against the beasts she had encountered earlier. She felt Tom roughly push her towards the vampire woman standing on the stairs in front of them.


    ¡®Get her out of here,¡¯ he spoke quietly but urgently before turning his attention to the two young men. ¡®I¡¯ll try to hold them off. You can leave if you want but I could do with your help, I don¡¯t have magic.¡¯


    Sarah couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. She was even more dumbfounded as she watched both of the young men leap gracefully past her to land near Tom on the stairs. The look of pleasure they gave each other before simultaneously turning and grinning at Tom convinced her that they were determined to help him with whatever he wanted to do and that they were also pleased with the idea. The sharp teeth their smiles revealed made her shudder.


    Delia¡¯s claw-like nails nearly tore at the skin on Sarah¡¯s arm as she roughly grabbed her, holding her close. She didn¡¯t doubt that the vampire would drag her up the stairs if she thought it necessary and decided not to give the woman any reason to justify brutality, although she wasn¡¯t sure the vampire would need a reason. Pushing back on panic she tried not to think about how she had just jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.


    Suddenly Tom¡¯s voice cut through the air to them, still not loud but with authority, ¡®And don¡¯t hurt her.¡¯ His expression matched his tone and Sarah felt herself shrink back from the look in his eyes as he pinned the vampire with his stare. Delia didn¡¯t respond as she turned back the way she had come but the grip on Sarah¡¯s arm lessened as they quickly moved up the stairwell.


    She had no choice but to follow the vampire. Delia¡¯s grip was like a vice and the strength in the undead woman was something she couldn¡¯t counter, not that she wanted to resist her. If the vampire left without her then she would be lost in the building alone, as she was sure Tom and the others wouldn¡¯t have wasted any time waiting around, and who knew what creatures she would run into trying to catch up to them. She didn¡¯t trust the vampire but remembering the creatures she was running from she knew instinctively that they were much worse. Tom had wanted her to leave with Delia and in this situation with these sorts of creatures, she knew she had to rely on his knowledge and experience, however much she disliked the idea. All she could do was hope that Tom¡¯s message had convinced the young woman to look elsewhere for a snack.


    They moved upwards quickly, sometimes having to race silently along the corridors before returning to the safety of the stairwells. The corridors and stairs started to blur with familiarity as Sarah was pulled in the direction she hoped was the exit. She had no way of knowing where they were headed, the map in her mind was as blurry as the walls around her but she knew they were always headed up and that was a relief. After they had travelled much further than she had walked with the evil creature to the meeting hall, they finally found themselves in the crisp clean air of the outside world.


    It was so disorientating after the dizzying run through the building it took Sarah a few moments to comprehend what she was seeing. The vampire had paused in her headlong rush after they had passed through the last doorway and Sarah took a brief look at the landscape around her. It was dark, night-time, but moonlight glistened off the expanse in front of her and she was able to make out the contours and shapes of mountains around them. Looking up at the sky she corrected herself; the light wasn¡¯t coming from a single moon but rather from both the moons. They were full and beautiful in an odd, creepy way.


    She had known they were being held underground inside the cave-like building but as she looked around it took a moment for her to realise why the ground she was standing on fell away in a harshly cut edge down one side. It clicked into her mind as the contours came into focus that the ¡°building¡± wasn¡¯t only underground but it was inside a mountain, one side of it made up of a sheer cliff face. She was close enough to the edge to know that it was a long way down to whatever was at the bottom of the cliff.


    Her mind swam with confusion, how was she supposed to get down from the top of a mountain? There were no paths that she could see and her one ab-sailing experience wouldn¡¯t help her with the cliff that spanned down in front of her. She considered suggesting to Delia to leave her there and instead go back and see if Tom and the other men were alright, but before she could even form the words the vampire had hold of her arm again. Sarah felt her heart pound as she realised what the woman intended, the edge of the mountain was coming closer and the vampire seemed to have no plans of stopping her wild dash towards it.


    Sarah opened her mouth to scream or shout knowing that as a human the fall would kill her, the mountain was too high to survive a tumble down the side. No sound came out of her open mouth, instead, the cool night air filled her lungs in a way that made them feel like they would burst as she fell over the edge. She fell fast into the night, no longer aware if the vampire was still holding onto her arm. Closing her eyes tightly against the stinging wind caused by her descent she didn¡¯t want to see what was below her anyway, what it would be that killed her. Unable to process anymore in her fear, she felt darkness and cold surround her, embracing her while she waited for the pain.


    Slowly she came to her senses and realised instantly that she had feinted with the fall, but she also knew that somehow she had survived it. Feeling disorientated with her head pounding and her stomach heaving with the after-effects of the free-fall, still, she was aware of only one thing; the solid ground beneath her. She lay there uncaring how she looked to anyone looking down on her and rolling over pressed her hands and face to the cool earth beneath her, taking her time to slow her breathing and settle her uneasy stomach. The time also helped quieten her overwrought mind. She embraced the stillness of just lying there for a moment before remembering that there was an angry, and probably hungry, vampire nearby.


    Opening her eyes, she tried to see anything that would give her some perspective but all she could see was darkness. Hearing a growl nearby and recognising it as a sign of impatience from the vampire she cautiously climbed to her feet. The darkness that surrounded her wasn¡¯t as complete as she had first thought. In the light of the single full moon, she could make out the petulant figure of the woman beside her.


    ¡®Where are we?¡¯ Sarah asked, not sure it mattered but not fully trusting the vampire to take her back to the mansion.


    ¡®We¡¯re nearly back at Thaddeus¡¯s place,¡¯ Delia explained disgruntledly. ¡®You passed out and I had to carry you.¡¯ There was a look of disgust on her face as she said this and despite herself, Sarah felt embarrassed to have inconvenienced her. She bit her tongue before she could say sorry though and the moment stretched out awkwardly between them before Delia continued. ¡®I didn¡¯t think it would be a good idea to take you in there like that.¡¯


    She indicated her head and, in the distance, Sarah could make out a dim light, she hoped it meant the safety of Thaddeus¡¯s mansion; whoever Thaddeus was.


    Before she had the chance to ask, the cruel claw-like hand grabbed her again and Sarah was dragged along at speed. She felt she would stumble at any moment, every step was like being yanked off her feet and the awkwardness of the run was exhausting and terrifying. She kept her eyes on the dim light, hoping it was the outside light she had noticed above the door of the mansion. It was a beacon calling her to safety, the relative safety that a building full of monsters could provide anyway. Still, she managed to put one foot in front of the other as she stumbled her way towards it.


    Just as she was sure she would die, probably due to the vampire running out of patience and eating her, they abruptly stopped. Looking up she felt overwhelming relief when she recognised the strong, dependable building in front of her. She had spent the past few days trying desperately to get away from the building and had never expected to be grateful to return to it. Yet to her, the dim light spilling out from an upstairs window, probably hers, was welcoming, and the desolate fa?ade of the outside looked secure and comforting in the limited light. Sarah didn¡¯t wait for the vampire and rushed for the door, glad to walk over the threshold and enter the foyer. Only once inside did she realise her mistake.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    As she entered, she saw that the downstairs room of the mansion was packed, which it always seemed to be, and every eye turned towards her as she brazenly walked in. Quickly she stopped just inside the open doorway, sure she could read every mind of the monsters gathered. It wasn¡¯t hard to interpret the gleams in the dead eyes or the hungry smiles on their fang-filled mouths. All attention turned from their previous commitments and focused squarely on her.


    Hearing the front door close behind her and turning towards the sound she was glad to see Delia standing there. She hoped the vampire still remembered Tom¡¯s order and wasn¡¯t going to turn on her now that they were back at the mansion and she was back with her kind. Pretending courage she didn¡¯t possess, Sarah moved through the room, feeling every eye following her movements.


    She couldn¡¯t hear footsteps behind her in the silence and she prayed the vampire still moved with her as she crossed the room and reached the stairs. As she hit the base of the stairs any false attempt at confidence fled as she sprinted upwards, not stopping until she was safely back in her room. Delia followed her lightly into the room, as Sarah hadn¡¯t had a chance to lock her out, before closing the door firmly behind them.


    The vampire looked sprightly, not a puff or a groan to show that the journey or the sprint up the stairs had tired her out in any way. Her long hair still gleamed as if it had been recently combed rather than flying through the air at whatever speed they had travelled. Her clear, pale skin showed no sheen or flush of exertion or life. As Sarah assessed the vampire she realised that the young woman had another look on her face that sent her blood cold; she was hungry.


    Sarah tried to ignore the look. She knew that if the vampire wanted to attack her there would be nothing she could do to stop the undead creature. Swallowing her unease she moved carefully into the bathroom, wishing she could lock herself in there until Tom returned but knowing the flimsy door wouldn¡¯t keep her safe.


    Leaning against the closed door, Sarah took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. It didn¡¯t help much. She stared longingly at the bathtub before quickly deciding against that level of vulnerability with a vampire nearby and instead set to work rubbing the worst of the dirt off herself with soap and a damp towel. After straightening herself back to a semi-normal appearance she considered going back into her bedroom. Instead, she hesitated, brushing her hair again and cleaning her teeth.


    Knowing she had to face the vampire eventually, as she couldn¡¯t stay in the bathroom all night, she plucked up her courage and opened the door. Taking another long, deep breath Sarah walked into the room confidently, as if she wasn¡¯t moments away from death. The spruce up in the bathroom had helped and she did feel more like herself. A nice big nap on the soft bed would have improved her even more but there was a limit to what she would do with a vampire around.


    ¡®How did you find us?¡¯ Sarah asked, hoping to keep her voice conversational as she moved carefully over to the deep armchair in the room. Sinking in she eyed Delia. The vampire hadn¡¯t moved from her spot near the door and she hoped that whatever had made her listen to Tom continued to work.


    ¡®A spell.¡¯ Delia wasn¡¯t in the mood for talking but Sarah thought her answer could do with a bit of fleshing out and gave her a look that said so. Finally, the vampire sighed and continued in a tone as if she was talking to a small child. ¡®We used a spell that can find lost items.¡¯


    ¡®That would be handy.¡¯ Sarah was thinking of all the times she had lost her car keys. ¡®Good thing it works for lost people too.¡¯


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t.¡¯ The vampire looked at her as if she were stupid. ¡®We thought of an item we knew Tom would have with him.¡¯


    Sarah looked at the woman in confusion before it clicked; Tom¡¯s deck of cards. In the few days they had been together she hadn¡¯t once seen him without it. She would never have thought those cards would save her life.


    ¡®Well, thank you for finding us.¡¯


    Delia¡¯s expression before she tossed her head and looked at the wall made Sarah wonder why she had bothered to rescue them at all. For one selfish moment, she was grateful that Tom had been taken with her as she knew the rescue mission wouldn¡¯t have been organised for her alone. Thinking of Tom she felt fear slice through her, surely, he should have turned up by now although she wasn¡¯t sure how quickly he and the two young men would be able to travel. If Tom didn¡¯t have his magic, could they teleport back to safety or were they travelling on foot? Could they travel as quickly as the vampire? As time ticked on, she became more concerned.


    Something had been behind them on the stairs when she had escaped with Delia. Sarah didn¡¯t know what the creature had been but she hoped that Tom had defeated it, or avoided it and that he hadn¡¯t been captured again. She imagined him back in the cage, locked securely, and wondered what would happen to her in this building if he didn¡¯t return. He was the only thing that seemed to be stopping every monster in this place from having a piece of her, literally. She didn¡¯t know why they wouldn¡¯t hurt her just because he told them not to but at this stage, she didn¡¯t care, she knew she needed his protection and as she again eyed the hungry vampire in the room, she prayed that he would return soon.


    Sarah¡¯s concern wasn¡¯t just for her own life, she feared for Tom as well. The past few days had been a crazy storm of emotions and occurrences but as they walked through it together, she had noticed a change in her feelings towards him. He wasn¡¯t what she had expected of a magician that made his living from lying and tricks. He had been honest with her and she had to admit that his tricks had saved her life.


    She tried to think what it would be like to live half in this world and half in hers and she realised that lying and tricks were probably all he had. It couldn¡¯t be easy keeping his abilities a secret, as well as everything else she had learnt about monsters and other realms. She wasn¡¯t sure how she was going to explain her absence when she got home - if she got home. No one would believe the truth, she would probably just be labelled insane.


    Would it be easier for him to stay in this realm? She wondered. At least here he didn¡¯t have to hide behind a performance. Thinking of all the creatures in the realm made her feel sick at the idea of living there with them, but it would be different for him. It wasn¡¯t like he was human. The image of Tom in the cage appeared in her mind again and she remembered the look of vulnerability she had seen on his face. She knew he was more human than he let on.


    It looked like he didn¡¯t fit into either world. She remembered his comment that he travelled a lot and thought it made sense, in his situation she would probably do the same. She couldn¡¯t help wondering where he had grown up, where his family was, and how he had survived as long as he had in either realm. As she remembered his career in her world, she couldn¡¯t help thinking that he was doing more than simply surviving, he was doing quite well out of his abilities.


    A small smile escaped across her face as she thought of Tom on stage as a magician. She had only seen a little of his show but remembered that she thought his profession had suited him. He had been confident and charismatic and had captured a few ladies'' hearts in the audience, or captured their attention anyway. His performance hadn¡¯t interested her then but now she thought she might have judged him, and his tricks, a bit too harshly. As yet she hadn¡¯t seen him use his magic to hurt or humiliate anyone, she had only seen him use it to save someone; her.


    She let her mind and emotions play with the thought. Keeping the image of Tom as the performer in her mind to counter the one that kept pressing in on her; Tom locked up again. She elaborated on the daydream, filling in the details of the fictitious story of them having met in another world, her world. She imagined she was in the audience ¡­ Tom singled her out for one of his magic tricks ¡­ he was charming and charismatic ¡­


    She was startled to hear a growl from the other side of the room.


    Coming quickly back to reality she looked at the vampire. Delia hadn¡¯t moved but she seemed tenser, coiled more tightly than before. She could sense the other woman¡¯s discomfort and see the darkness intensify in her eyes. It was as if the hunger was becoming stronger.


    A flush crept over Sarah as she wondered if her wayward thoughts had induced that hunger in Delia as if her scent had become covered in tasty pheromones. She quietened her mind, erasing the daydream as much as possible, as she watched the vampire carefully. It seemed to help and the undead woman reclined against the door looking a bit more at ease. Sarah wasn¡¯t impressed that her thoughts seemed to be so easy for the vampire to read and wondered if everyone could read her so easily, for that manner could Tom.


    As if her last thought had conjured him up, Tom appeared in the centre of the room. A thin-coloured haze had sprung up, announcing their arrival, before it disappeared like mist. Suddenly he was solidly standing there in a spot that had been empty a moment before. Just like a magic trick.


    The two men appeared with him but Sarah only gave them a quick curious glance before focusing on Tom, breathing in relief as she noticed that he looked unhurt. She rose from her chair intent to check him closer and confirm her original assessment when she was aware of a flurry of movement and the sound of a door closing. Before she could blink, they found themselves alone in the room. The vampire was gone in a second, probably glad to be rid of her now that Tom was back to take care of her, the men leaving with her.


    Sarah didn¡¯t care and moved toward Tom quickly. Her hands moved over him at first in an investigation before something else took over in her. She felt his mouth on her hair, his hands on her back and her hips and reaching up she gave her mouth to his kiss.


    Sarah awoke in the bed aware of the naked length of Tom stretched out beside her. She expected to feel a flush of shame for going to bed with a man that she had only known for a short time but instead felt a playfulness that was rare for her. Running her fingertip over his sleeping face she started at his hairline and made her way slowly downwards before playfully drawing her nail across his lips.


    Tom opened his eyes slowly and she looked into the depths, seeing the invitation written in them. Moving towards him she leaned her body over him and reached for the deck of cards he had left on the bedside table. She could see him out of the corner of her eye watching her carefully as she moved away from him slightly and began to shuffle the deck. Propping herself up against the pillows she was careful not to let the covers slip down too low as she fanned out the cards in her hands towards him.


    ¡®Pick a card and return it to the deck,¡¯ she ordered in a deep showy voice.


    She watched Tom raise an eyebrow at her before he slowly obliged.


    ¡®You know, I wanted to be a magician when I was a child,¡¯ Sarah spoke conversationally as she shuffled the cards again and carefully cut the deck.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ Tom asked as she showed him a card, the queen of hearts, and he nodded confirmation that it was the card he had selected earlier.


    ¡®I only knew the one card trick,¡¯ Sarah laughed as she shuffled the deck again.


    Tom shifted on the bed and reaching out took the deck from her. He handled the cards expertly and gently as he returned them to their spot beside the bed before turning back to Sarah and caressing her in the same manner.


    The next morning Sarah woke abruptly, the nightmare clinging to her consciousness as she struggled to move. Her breath came in short bursts as she came fully awake, her unresponsive limbs and heavy chest transforming from dream to reality. She had a fleeting moment of awareness that she was alone in the bed, in fact alone in the room, and tried to cry out for Tom. The words were cut off as the pressure in her chest expanded to her windpipe making speech and even deep breathing impossible. As her panic reached its peak, suddenly she felt herself yanked away from her bed, the movement sickening and jerky and unlike anything she had felt before.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    As soon as Tom neared the door to Sarah¡¯s room, he knew instantly that something was wrong. There had been nothing obvious to alert him to trouble but as he strode across the hallway he could feel something from her room, and it felt bad. Quickly surveying the innocent-looking door he could tell that his warding was still in place. Still, something had gone very wrong.


    Entering the bedroom, he wondered why he even bothered to check for her. She wouldn¡¯t be there and any sign of what had taken her would be gone as well. All the creatures in the building were too clever to leave a path for him to follow.


    He searched the room regardless. Nothing looked out of place but he reached his magic into every corner looking for a clue. As he had expected there was nothing left for him to follow, not even a sense that something had happened in the room. The strange feeling from the hallway had dispersed quickly and he knew that if he had returned a moment later he wouldn¡¯t have felt anything.


    He was relieved to see his warding was still holding in the room, it limited the list of creatures that could have taken her. It should have limited it down to none, but still, something had managed to get through.


    Looking around he could almost believe she had just walked out the door by herself, but he knew that wasn¡¯t the case. After everything they had been through, he didn¡¯t think she would walk around alone and if she had gone for an ill-timed walk he would be able to sense her. He couldn¡¯t sense Sarah anywhere in the building. Whoever had taken her was making sure to hide her from him, it was either that or they had killed her already. He quickly shifted the uneasy thought from his mind.


    Leaving the room, he mentally sorted through all the creatures in the building. He knew them all and their abilities. Rapidly he dismissed the ones that couldn¡¯t have pulled off an abduction like this.


    The creature hadn¡¯t been able to enter Sarah¡¯s room uninvited and knowing her aversion to the creatures he assumed she wouldn¡¯t have invited any in. The door had been closed and there had been no sign of a struggle, so something must have taken her out of the room without entering it themselves. That wasn¡¯t an easy thing to do and there weren¡¯t many creatures able to do it. There were even fewer that would have been able to overcome his warding to do so.


    He thought briefly of the house itself and its ability to transport people without their consent. It was one thing he couldn¡¯t ward against. He couldn¡¯t stop the building from being close to Sarah as it was also the very thing standing between her and the monsters, keeping her secure. His warding was on the bedroom¡¯s walls, ceiling, floor and door.


    She might have gotten out of bed, touching the floor or the wall in the process and therefore unwillingly allowed herself to be transported but she would only have been moved to another part of the building and he would be able to sense her still. The house wouldn¡¯t be able to hide her from him like this. This was a deliberate abduction, one that had been meticulously planned.


    Tom had only been across the hall in his room and had only left for a few moments before returning. The creature must have been waiting for the opportunity to take Sarah and must have been ready to pounce when the time came. He clenched his teeth knowing that it wasn¡¯t going to be easy to find her. The creature had to have a lot of experience and strong magic to have even thought of trying.


    Going through the shortlist of remaining names he felt his anger continue to mount towards the unnamed creature that had betrayed him. He had made it clear that Sarah was to be left alone while she was staying in the building. Admittedly it had been a lot to ask but he couldn¡¯t believe how many of these creatures had been willing to disobey him in the last few days. Even while they were in this realm and this house.


    Focusing on the initial problem at hand he controlled his anger, barely, by thinking about what he would do to this creature once he had Sarah back safely. He would have to send a message. It had been a while since many of these creatures had seen him and they obviously had forgotten who he was, or that he wasn¡¯t one to be played with or ignored.


    The thought braced him. Sometimes he found himself forgetting who he was as well. It was any wonder they didn¡¯t respect him when he spent most of his time performing tricks and pretending at magic. It would be good to fully embrace the sorcerer within him again.


    It hadn¡¯t taken Tom long to work out a list of suspects. He headed in a direction that he had no evidence was the right way but he trusted his instincts and his magic. Although he couldn¡¯t sense Sarah, he could still sense all the other creatures in the building. Using his magic, he picked out the whereabouts of each one, shifting through the mental map to locate the creatures most likely responsible.


    Tom ignored the new presence he felt in the building. He wasn¡¯t sure how he hadn¡¯t noticed it before now and wondered how long it had been there. This new presence was the most disturbing for him but he knew that it didn¡¯t have Sarah so it was irrelevant for now. First, he had to get Sarah back.


    There was no option of teleporting as he didn¡¯t have a set destination so instead, he walked. He passed creatures and instantly dismissed them on sight while trying to hide the fact that he was looking for Sarah. If word got out that he had lost the human somewhere in the building he wouldn¡¯t be the only one looking for her and whoever was hiding her wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her hidden for long.


    Tom felt a trickle of fear cut through his anger as he thought about what might happen to Sarah if he didn¡¯t find her in time. He had never doubted his skills or his magic, had never had a reason to, but now he feared that it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Biting down on the foreign emotions he kept his expression perfectly neutral as he passed more creatures, knowing they would have no reason to see through his performance. Shuffling through his mental map some more he continued onwards grimly.


    Sarah awoke sitting up in a hard chair in a poorly lit room unaware of how she had gotten there. Trying to stand she realised she was bound, her hands tied to the arms of the uncomfortable piece of furniture and her feet firmly clamped to the legs. Glancing down at the bindings she noticed she was wearing a garment that reminded her of a dressing gown, one that she had never seen before, and she didn¡¯t have to look to know that she was naked underneath. The knowledge added to her vulnerability.


    The dressing gown was old and even the slightest movement released dust that had been locked in the thin fabric, accompanied by a thick musty smell. It made her want to recoil from the strange piece of clothing but she knew that it was something else about the garment that was making her skin crawl. The dressing gown only came down to her knees but it felt as if it covered her entirely. No part of her skin was immune to the creepy feeling the item possessed.


    Sarah forced herself to dismiss the unease induced by her attire, and her nakedness beneath, as she was confident that she had bigger problems to focus on. It was never a good sign to wake up in a strange place tied to a chair, especially when you didn¡¯t know how you got there. Twisting on the seat she tried again to move in the bindings but her feeble attempts proved useless against the ropes. She was secured tightly and the wooden chair she was tied to was old but strongly made.


    Salvaging up every bit of mental strength she possessed she sat up straighter and looked around the room calmly as if she often found herself in this kind of unusual situation. Her breathing sounded loud and rough in her ears and she didn¡¯t think her attempt at composure would fool anyone but she reminded herself that at least she was still breathing. Looking around the room her fake self-control slipped as she came to the horrible conclusion that she had somehow found herself in a dungeon. She had known the building was old but would never have thought it was old enough to include a torture chamber.


    Fear clawed up inside her as she wondered where she had been taken. Was she even in the same realm let alone the same house that she had fallen asleep in? As her widened eyes became accustomed to the gloom, she recognised some of the features in the room and realised the error of her first impression. The room she was tied up in wasn¡¯t a dungeon, it was a large bedroom but decorated in an oddly dark fashion.


    Looking around carefully she realised that the bedroom was surprisingly similar to her own. Besides the alterations to the d¨¦cor, the fixtures in the room were familiar to her, just like the ones she had noticed not only in her room but in other places in the mansion as well. She prayed that she was right and that she wasn¡¯t as lost as she felt. Thinking of all the other realms Tom had spoken about she had nearly sobbed at the thought that she had been taken so far away that no one would be able to find her ever again.


    Sarah wondered why anyone would darken the already dark, gothic tones of the mansion. Had it been done deliberately for her capture to scare her or did monsters like the gloomy, satanic-looking style of decorating? She couldn¡¯t see anything specific to indicate what sort of monster the room belonged to but she wasn¡¯t sure what she should look for. Would a vampire¡¯s room lack mirrors or would a werewolf have a kennel instead of a bed?


    Focusing on the familiar she calmed herself with the fact that she was still in the same building, it meant Tom wasn¡¯t far away. She had no idea where in the building she was or how she had gotten there but her mind clung to the reassuring items in the room. Those items were telling her that she hadn¡¯t been taken too far from him. Looking at them made her feel safe, even if it was a lie.


    She wondered where Tom was and almost cried out his name before remembering what creatures this familiar building contained. If they didn¡¯t already know where she was, she wasn¡¯t about to let them know by screaming. Still, she had to alert Tom somehow. She sat there in agony over her indecision.


    A noise in the corner of the room was her first indication that she was not alone. She peered into the gloom as she became aware that she could hear rhythmic breathing, the rasping wheeze she had heard earlier hadn¡¯t been entirely her own. The dimness played tricks on her, distorting her senses as she strained to pick out details in the room. She hoped that whoever was there was asleep.


    Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed as she heard a self-satisfied laugh emerge from the darkness. A shadow distorted, extended towards her and a figure soon followed the laugh from the blackness.


    ¡®So, you are awake,¡¯ the words were mumbled and disjointed and Sarah realised that an answer wasn¡¯t considered necessary.


    The figure moved closer to her, stopping a short distance away and as Sarah watched a light flared up upon a table between them. The suddenness of the light burnt her eyes and she tried to drop her gaze but found that she couldn¡¯t help but look at it. The intense light was coming from an orb. It was similar to the ones Tom had made to light up her room but the colours were darker, swirling energies that reminded her of the banshee¡¯s flames.


    The light from the orb was sufficient to make out the other occupant in the room and Sarah clamped down on her fear as she recognised one of the hags. The woman slowly shuffled nearer, her deformed face close as she bent over Sarah to look at her. The dark swirling energies from the orb were reflected in the hag¡¯s eyes and Sarah looked away quickly. She wasn¡¯t going to let this woman hypnotise her, she had lost control of her legs once before and it was not an experience she wanted to repeat.


    The old woman quietly chuckled at her defiance before she moved her hand, brushing her open palm over Sarah¡¯s head in almost a caress. The touch turned Sarah¡¯s stomach and she resisted the urge to close her eyes in revulsion, not wanting to take her gaze completely off the witch in front of her, while still carefully avoiding looking into the other woman¡¯s eyes. The hag pulled her hand away slowly and Sarah could see a few of her hairs hanging from the gnarled old fingers. Her memory flashed back to when the hag had gleefully run away with a few of her loose hairs before.


    ¡®Got some more in case I need you again,¡¯ the hag mumbled.


    Sarah watched repulsed as the woman turned back to the table and placed the hair carefully amongst the containers she had lined up. Even in the odd lighting, Sarah recognised some of the jars from her short foray into the kitchen. She realised that not all of the items she had seen in that room would have been food for the monsters, probably half of the monsters in the building didn¡¯t need food, and some things might have been supplies. The thought filled her with fear and she wasn¡¯t sure which idea repulsed her more.


    Needing food for survival she could understand, no matter how gross the food was, but needing supplies for spells or other amusements gave the neatly stacked and organised containers in the kitchen a more sadistic quality that made her uneasy. She was reminded again how little she knew of the monsters she had been living with. She wasn¡¯t sure how many of them would eat her or how the other monsters would hurt her if they had the chance. She just knew they were all dangerous to her and that she was helpless against them without Tom.


    Biting down on her tongue she barely controlled the urge to scream for him. Instead, she focused on the dangerous situation she had found herself in while trying to understand as much of it as possible. She didn¡¯t know anything about spells or magic but it seemed to her that the witch must have used some spell to summon her, and must have used her hair to do it. It made her feel dirty and used to be manipulated so easily by magic and she panicked at the thought of what other spells the woman was capable of. The fact that Sarah was tied to a chair made her think that none of it would be pleasant.


    She watched as the witch picked up a jar from the table and started making her way back towards her. The gleam in the hag¡¯s dark eyes and the evil smirk on her face convinced her of the other woman¡¯s intent. As the hag gleefully danced closer Sarah held her breath, mentally wincing from the nearness of the evil creature, and bracing herself for what would come next.


    Never in her imaginings would she have thought of being saved by a knock on the door. She had thought her rescue, if it happened, would be a bit more dramatic but was glad that the quiet noise had been enough to distract the witch from her plans. Praying it was Tom she felt a moment¡¯s relief at the thought that he had found her, she was safe. As the hag moved away from her to answer it Sarah¡¯s relief intensified with each step before it quickly plummeted at the sound of a child¡¯s voice on the other side of the doorway rather than Tom¡¯s.


    The creatures at the door were behind Sarah and she had no idea what they were doing. She strained to make out their conversation but the little she could hear was indistinguishable to her fear-addled brain and she couldn¡¯t even work out what language they were speaking. Soon the talking stopped, the door closed and Sarah nervously tugged at her bindings again as she heard footsteps returning towards her.


    Feeling a light touch on her arm, and expecting it to be the witch again, she screamed with fear as she turned towards the invasion. Surprisingly her scream came out as a soft whimper, through no action of her own, and she eyed the child standing innocently beside her dubiously. The young boy smiled at her in an impish way making her reluctant to trust him. A thought that persisted as she watched him quickly produce a sharp knife.


    Sarah held her breath as she eyed the knife that was moving steadily towards her. She tried to speak out but found she had been silenced. There was no physical evidence of how the words were being stopped from pouring out of her mouth but it was very effective and not a sound emerged from her. Sitting there helplessly and mutely she watched the wicked blade move in before slicing innocently through the bonds that tied her.


    The young boy indicated for her to follow as he moved silently through the room. Knowing the witch could return at any moment, she realised she had little choice but to follow the child. There was an air of mischief about the boy that she didn¡¯t like and she knew he had to be a monster of some sort to survive in the building. Pushing aside the instincts that were screaming at her to run, instead, she followed him deeper into the room.


    Looking at the child she didn¡¯t recognise him and she didn¡¯t recall seeing him before in the building. Still, she hadn¡¯t always taken notice of the monsters individually as she had usually seen them as an evil mob that was trying to eat her. She wished she had paid more attention to the creatures when Tom had been around to name them to her. It would be nice to know what sort of monster she was putting her trust into.


    The young boy stopped at the wardrobe. Opening the door, he indicated wordlessly for her to enter. Sarah bit down on a laugh, she was trusting a child to hide her in a wardrobe in a witch¡¯s room; it was beyond belief. Still, she moved as quietly as possible into the small enclosure, making room worriedly as he followed her inside and closed the door.


    As they sat there quietly in the dark, she tried not to remember the sharp blade the boy was carrying and instead focused on what was happening outside their haven. Every one of her senses was straining to catch the slightest noise or movement either from outside of the wardrobe or within. She felt the little boy take her hand and hold on gently, although she sensed it wasn¡¯t due to fear or for comfort as it seemed almost an absentminded gesture. She didn¡¯t fight him for the use of her hand, she didn¡¯t have anything else to do with it and she felt a small measure of security from the unemotional touch.


    They waited in silence in the dark. They were like two small children playing hide and seek and the young boy was a very patient player. Before long Sarah started to wiggle and fidget as the moments stretched out, the pressure of hiding getting to her plus the bottom of a wardrobe wasn¡¯t the most comfortable hiding place. The child beside her sat like a statue.


    Taking a deep breath, she silently willed herself to be calm, or as calm as possible in the circumstances, when the choice was taken from her abruptly as she heard movement in the room outside and knew the witch had returned. From that moment she couldn¡¯t have moved if she had tried, fear had her sitting as stiffly and statue-still as the boy beside her. She could hear the old hag¡¯s shuffling steps and wild mumbling and Sarah¡¯s heart beat wildly as she waited to be discovered. She knew it wouldn¡¯t take long and wondered why she had trusted a child to find a good hiding spot.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Suddenly finding his touch constricting Sarah tried to move her hand away from the boy but found she couldn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t holding on tightly or gripping her, it was more like their hands were oddly locked together. She tried again to pull away and again received no success, although the child gave her no resistance. Looking over at him she could make out nothing in the darkness of the cupboard but she could feel that he was sitting as still as before, seemingly unperturbed by either her or the witch.


    As she heard the witch rummaging around closer to their hiding spot she had to stop worrying about their strangely locked hands and concentrate on the other threat in the room. She was sure they would be discovered at any moment and felt her stomach turn at the thought of what the hag would do to her for trying to escape, let alone what she would do to the little boy. Sarah wasn¡¯t sure if he could look after himself against a hag.


    Suddenly the door was pulled open and as the strange light poured into the wardrobe Sarah stopped breathing altogether. She had known a lot of different kinds of fear over the last few days but strangely huddling in a wardrobe holding a young boy¡¯s hand as they hid from a hag was one of the worst moments for her. Neither of the occupants in the small space moved, the boy as he was so good at pretending to be a statue and Sarah as she was too terrified. She watched as the hag looked over them, then through them.


    It was as if the hag was staring at the bare floor of an empty wardrobe, devoid of the two bodies hiding there. Sarah continued holding her breath, worried now to start breathing and giving them away. She hoped that whatever spell was working to keep them invisible would continue to work as the moment dragged on. It felt like an eternity before Sarah gasped with relief as the door closed, again encasing them into the darkness; unnoticed and unhurt.


    She could hear the witch still in the room beyond before there was a loud bang of a slamming door and then silence. The silence was almost as awful. There was no way of knowing what was happening in the room now and she felt like hiding away in the wardrobe forever. She wondered if the little boy would keep her invisible for that long.


    They waited a few moments longer in the dark as she caught her breath before her hand was unceremoniously dropped by the child. She could hear him begin to wiggle forward towards the wardrobe door. Her heart was in her throat as he opened it a crack and peered into the room beyond. He turned back to her with the impish smile again on his small, innocent-looking face.


    ¡®All clear,¡¯ he spoke in an oddly musical tone. It was the first time she had heard him speak and she was startled by the sound.


    Sarah stopped him before he opened the door completely. She still didn¡¯t trust him and the mischievous look on his face, illuminated by the odd lighting of the room beyond, didn¡¯t help to settle her frayed nerves.


    ¡®Why did you save me?¡¯ she asked quietly, her words little more than a whisper. ¡®How did you know where I was?¡¯


    ¡®Catherine showed me,¡¯ his musical voice was at odds with the matter-of-fact answer.


    There was laughter behind the words and she resisted the urge to fall under the child¡¯s spell and laugh along with him. For some reason, she didn¡¯t think laughter would be a good idea. She forced herself to concentrate. It wasn¡¯t easy, there was something so bewitching about the child.


    She wanted to ask who Catherine was but had more pressing questions and limited time. ¡®Where¡¯s Tom?¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯ll be here soon.¡¯


    The little boy¡¯s laughter came forth and as promised it was a magical thing. Sarah felt herself smile at the musical sound, finding herself completely ensnared by his enchantment as he opened the door fully and beckoned her to follow.


    ¡®What are you?¡¯ her voice was tinged with wonder as she slid her way to the opening, carefully surveying the room behind the child. There was no sign of the witch but she reminded herself that the hag could return at any time.


    ¡®A changeling,¡¯ the boy answered as he helped her to her feet.


    Sarah was glad of the small measure of help and resisted the urge to snatch her hand away at his words.


    ¡®What are you going to change into?¡¯ she asked hesitantly, wondering if the creature he turned into would be so accommodating.


    The boy laughed at this, his laughter reminding her of music or bells, and she worried that the merriment would bring the hag back to her room quicker. Thankfully he quickly stopped.


    Sarah wondered at these creatures and how they all seemed to think that their comments made perfect sense when the few words they used left her confused and reeling. She was sure she wasn¡¯t the only person ignorant of all things supernatural but these creatures treated her as if she was strange for not understanding their ways. She supposed in this world she was the strange one. Her ignorance was frightening.


    A wave of homesickness consumed her, not for the first time, and she resisted the urge to succumb to it as she focused on the little she did understand. The witch was bad and if Sarah was still there when she returned, she would quickly find out just how bad. She still didn¡¯t know if the boy would survive the encounter either.


    As they slipped quietly through the room, she decided it was probably best if she kept her mouth shut. She didn¡¯t want any more confusing answers to her questions, and she was hesitant to fall under the boy¡¯s spell, so instead, she focused on following him. Crossing the room didn¡¯t take long but with each step, she worried that the hag would come in and discover her escaping, making walking the small distance an exhausting experience. Finally, they made it to the door and she braced herself, knowing the worst probably wasn¡¯t over for her yet as there were still many uncomfortable steps to go before she reached the safety of her room.


    As they moved out into the hallway, she realised she might be following the child from a bad situation into an even worse one. The hag wasn¡¯t the only evil creature in the building. There were all sorts of monsters to be afraid of and she didn¡¯t have Tom to protect her this time.


    Her fears were suddenly confirmed as they manoeuvred a bend in the corridor to find themselves faced with the very witch they had been running from. Sarah gasped in fear as she recognised the wizened hag and wondered if this had been the child¡¯s plan all along, to build up her trust and then bring her face to face with the witch again. Even though she realised how foolish that sounded she couldn¡¯t help feeling betrayed by the child. She had trusted him. Which, she acknowledged, was also pretty foolish of her.


    The moment stretched on as she eyed the witch in front of her fearfully. The hag had been in the process of returning to her room again and Sarah could see the woman¡¯s surprise and delight in finding the lost item she had been looking for walking right up to her in the hallway. Numb with exhaustion and fear Sarah lost focus on anything other than the witch in front of her until she could no longer be sure the changeling child was still with them.


    Sarah hadn¡¯t been able to take her exhausted gaze from the hag¡¯s eyes quickly enough and became mesmerised by the darkness she could see within. It was impossible to resist as the magic started to consume her vision. The moment seemed endless and it took her scared, confused brain a few moments to register the arrival of someone else in the hallway with them. With an effort, she pried her fear-locked eyes away from the hideous face and soulless orbs of the witch and felt relief wash through her as she recognised Tom. Her relief was short-lived when she saw the expression on his face.


    Within a second of the fogginess lifting from her mind, Sarah found herself dressed and in the next moment, Tom was at her side, his hand on her upper arm not gentle in its touch but the magic that was thrumming into her was soothing. She looked down in bemusement at the new outfit she wore, again some hand-me-downs from the vampire, and wondered why dressing her had been the first thing on his agenda. She didn¡¯t think the monsters would care how they saw her. She could walk the corridors covered from neck to ankle and she would tempt them the same if she was walking around naked. Her confused brain did notice that the outfit he had magically picked for her was quite cute, still something she would normally never wear, and very similar to the jeans and top she had chosen for herself previously.


    Turning to him she noticed Tom¡¯s expression was like granite as his gaze stayed fixed on the hag in front of them. She was surprised to notice the smooth mask of the performer had slipped away and as she surveyed his face she wished it back. Even though she knew his anger wasn¡¯t directed at her it was still an intimidating thing to witness. She turned back to look at the hag and see how she was holding up under that stare.


    The hag¡¯s expression told her nothing of her feelings if she had any, but Sarah noted that there was some sort of struggle going on inside the creature. Within moments the woman was gone. There had been no showy smoke or mist to indicate her departure or the steady footsteps of her retreat, just instantly the spot where she had been standing was empty. Sarah couldn¡¯t be sure if the woman had left of her own accord or not and was positive she didn¡¯t want to know.


    Her eyes skimmed over to the boy, almost worried for the child that had saved her. She was about to explain to Tom, although she wasn¡¯t sure what she could explain, when she heard that tinkling bell-like laugh as the boy walked away. He didn¡¯t look hurried or concerned as he strolled down the hall, it was as if the morning¡¯s adventure was a common occurrence and he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. It was creepy. Still, Sarah felt relief at his departure, as although he hadn¡¯t seemed to want to hurt her there was something mischievous about the child that she didn¡¯t trust.


    The boy¡¯s departure made her realise she was left alone with Tom in the hallway and she almost felt like calling the child back. Risking a look at Tom she realised his expression hadn¡¯t changed with the departure of the monsters, although his anger didn¡¯t seem to be at her which she was grateful for. Not that she was that scared of him but she didn¡¯t feel up to an argument after all she had been through, especially as she could imagine what an argument with Tom would be like, or maybe she couldn¡¯t. Thankfully she sensed that it was something else that consumed his mind and set his face into those hard plains that worried her.


    She expected him to ask her what had happened, ask if she was alright and maybe even hold her while he promised to keep her safe. She sighed regretfully as the grip on her arm didn¡¯t change to a caress when the monsters left and she knew he wasn¡¯t going to be the shoulder to cry on that she needed. Instead, he moved, intent on walking down the hall and she had no choice but to follow.


    As they passed through a small archway Sarah stifled a groan when she recognised the main entrance room of the building. Did every hallway and staircase lead to this one particular room? If so it would explain why it was always so crowded, as it was again.


    Sarah eyed the familiar staircase that was practically on the other side of the room from her, knowing it would take her to safety. Not that she could consider her bedroom that safe after what she had just experienced but there would be fewer monsters in there at least. Still, one look at the scores of creatures in front of her told her that she wouldn¡¯t get through easily. She would have to stick to Tom and hope they had the same destination in mind.


    Tom moved forward in the room, but not to pass through it. It was more like he wanted to make his presence known to all the monsters in it as he moved slowly, surveying the crowd in front of them with the same intimidating look he had used on the witch. Sarah worried about him as a protector for the first time since she had chosen to believe in monsters. It was almost as if he had forgotten that she was with him, a nice tasty human in a room full of unholy creatures.


    She noticed that the creatures hadn¡¯t forgotten and there were a few hungry looks cast her way as she was led towards the beasts. Still, there was a hesitancy about them that she hadn¡¯t seen before. Tom and Sarah only managed a few steps towards the mob before their path was obstructed. Sarah was almost relieved to see a familiar face in front of her before she noticed the hard lines of anger on Delia¡¯s expression. She would never have described the monsters she had encountered so far as laid back but something had happened that had taken them all to a new level of terrifying.


    ¡®I can turn Sarah,¡¯ Delia started without preamble talking only to Tom as if Sarah wasn¡¯t standing there as well.


    It took Sarah a moment to work out what the woman in front of her was talking about. It was strange to hear her name spoken by the vampire and stranger still the content of what she was saying. Delia¡¯s face continued to wear the hard lines of anger and there was a desperation about her that was beyond frightening, she looked more vampire than ever. Suddenly what the vampire was saying clicked in her mind and she choked back her bile at the thought of the vampire forcing her blood down Sarah¡¯s throat to give her body immortality but destroy her soul.


    She wasn¡¯t sure where the offer had come from. The undead woman didn¡¯t care about her or what might happen to her, she knew it had only been Tom¡¯s persuading that had forced the vampire to rescue her the day before. All Delia had indicated so far was a hunger towards Sarah and she knew that given the chance the vampire would be drinking her blood and it wouldn¡¯t be to turn her into an undead sister. There had to be another reason for the offer but although Sarah had spent a few days in their presence she was a long way from understanding anything about why these monsters did what they did.


    She saw one of the young men that had helped rescue them standing in the crowd nearby. He was interested in their conversation and was just pretending that he wasn¡¯t. She wondered if he was going to get involved but could tell from his body language that he thought he was better off where he was. Still, she could see his indecision. As he caught her looking at him, he maimed indifference with a deliberate roll of his eyes.


    As Delia waited impatiently for Tom¡¯s reply the other young man from the night before swaggered forward. Sarah hadn¡¯t seen where he had come from and was startled to find him so close to them so quickly. He hadn¡¯t been standing with the eye-roller and she wondered if they were friends like she had first assumed or if they were even the same species of monster. She didn¡¯t have time to ask, even if she had wanted to before he cut into the conversation quickly with arrogance and confidence.


    ¡®Or she could be a werewolf.¡¯


    Sarah recoiled in disbelief.


    The young man¡¯s tone had made it sound like he wasn¡¯t interested in the outcome but she could see that Tom¡¯s answer mattered. Looking at the werewolf she wondered at his interest in her, again she was sure it wasn¡¯t a concern for her wellbeing that prompted the offer. Whatever had driven the vampire to offer her misguided attempt at help, the same force was pushing him as well. Sarah wasn¡¯t sure if she should scream or cry at the vampire¡¯s offer to turn her, doubled by the insane words from the werewolf.


    The vampire turned and glared at the young man, an otherworldly snarl issuing from her fang-filled mouth. The young man held her gaze firmly, nothing about his countenance changed but Sarah noticed some of the other creatures in the room move to stand a bit straighter as they took in the exchange. The eye-roller was watching them again with interest. The air around them practically snapped with the tension.


    Sarah knew she didn¡¯t want to see a fight break out. She had a feeling that the argument had started before Tom had arrived in the room and that both the vampire and the werewolf had a strong motivation for wanting to win it. She couldn¡¯t understand what the motivation could be and was terrified at the thought of these creatures fighting for the right to turn her into one of them.


    She looked at Tom hoping he would save her from the serious offers, as well as from a fight that could break out at any moment, but the look on his face hadn¡¯t changed from the focused expression he had worn since rescuing her from the witch. At that moment she had a chilling thought that he might consider the offers. All he had to do was agree and they could turn her into whatever monster they wanted, they wouldn¡¯t need her consent and she would be powerless to resist. It hit her hard that all her trust was placed in one man, one that was only half-human.


    Arguing it from his point of view she had to admit it would certainly make the job of protecting her easier if she no longer needed protecting. As a monster, she would be free to move around the building, safe from fangs and spells, and he would get his freedom back. Maybe the idea of being turned into an undead creature wasn¡¯t as appalling to a half-blood like him as it was to a full-human like her. To him, it was probably a better outcome than her being killed.


    To Sarah it was appalling and she would rather die. She hadn¡¯t thought about being an undead, soulless monster before, why would she, but she had been giving it a lot of thought since finding out that those things existed. It hadn¡¯t taken long for her imagination to set off, wondering what it would be like to be one of these creatures and there was no way that she could spin it to a positive. The thought of having an eternity living like these monsters was revolting, let alone the whole eating humans or drinking their blood thing.


    As the moments weighed heavily on her, she was almost glad for Tom¡¯s silence as she began to worry about what would come out of his mouth if he did speak. Any part of him that had seemed human to her in the past had been quashed, the intimacy of their night together felt like a dream. At that moment he was a stranger to her.


    ¡®Thank you, Delia, I will let you know what Sarah decides,¡¯ Tom¡¯s voice was smooth but distracted when he finally spoke. It was as if Sarah¡¯s soul was of little importance to him and the argument that had every creature on alert was nothing more than a childish squabble.


    His eyes peered off expectantly towards the staircase on the other side of the room and Sarah wondered if he was even aware of what they had been talking about, and of what he had practically agreed to. His answer made it sound like there would be a decision between only those two options. She could see a hint of relief on Delia¡¯s face and knew she had picked up on it too. Tom had said that it would be her decision though and Sarah held on to that, knowing that she would choose death first.


    ¡®But she¡¯s going to be a werewolf,¡¯ the werewolf¡¯s growl of a voice predicted with a chilling finality.


    The voice that had issued from the seemingly young man sounded older, harder and deeper than she would have expected and she shivered at the thought that it had issued straight from the underworld itself. The look Tom cast in his direction had the young man stumbling back as he relented. His voice returned to its younger timbre as he moved away from them, muttering about the horrors of being a vampire and the virtues of werewolves. Sarah found herself sickened by the whole conversation.


    Sarah couldn¡¯t control herself physically gagging as she saw the woman that usually manned the desk walking towards them purposefully. She felt sure the woman was going to offer to turn her into a leech and knew that if she did Sarah would faint from revulsion. Then she saw the look on the other woman¡¯s face and knew her purpose had nothing to do with her for once.


    ¡®Tom, we have a problem,¡¯ she started with a voice that crackled in the air between them like lightning. ¡®Thaddeus is here, and he¡¯s not happy.¡¯ Sarah wondered about the comment but could see from Tom¡¯s expression that he knew who the woman was referring to, he also didn¡¯t look surprised by the information. The leech continued, ¡®You had better get her out of here.¡¯


    She looked pointedly at Sarah as she said this. So, the topic had been about her after all only the woman hadn¡¯t wanted to inappropriately proposition for her soul, but rather give them a warning that Sarah wasn¡¯t welcome. Tom¡¯s only answer was to move his hand down Sarah¡¯s arm and clasp her hand tightly. The motion gave her more comfort than she would have expected and she wondered why he had chosen that moment to give it.


    Anything Tom was about to say was interrupted by the appearance of a man. He strode down the staircase confidently, his large athletic body moving with speed and agility. He was unlike anyone Sarah had seen, power radiated from every inch of his imposing frame as he entered the room fearlessly. It was as if the room had become smaller with his presence, the monsters seemed less threatening and everything else became unimportant compared to him.


    She didn¡¯t need to be told that this was Thaddeus.


    Glancing around Sarah was surprised by the sudden hush in the room. It was different to the strained silence that her arrival usually induced as the monsters tried to control their hunger for her. Instead, this was a respectful silence indicating that this man had everyone¡¯s attention as he strode off the last step and stood at the bottom of the staircase. Looking at the creatures she realised with wonder how they regarded him. She wouldn¡¯t have thought to see the monsters show fear, yet there it was mingled with respect stamped clearly on each of their hideous faces.


    She looked again at the man that had entered and as she stared at him, he slowly turned his gaze to her and her blood froze cold. As his eyes probed into hers, she realised that his eyes had no end to their depth. Unlike the soulless orbs of the monsters in the room that always looked empty his were the opposite, infinitely full. Even from her distance, she could see the brown of his eyes, seemingly normal and human yet somehow dragging her into their depths.


    Those eyes held everything in them and she could feel the power emanating from those endless orbs, both giving and taking from her in that look. Tearing her eyes away took a great effort and Sarah felt that everything she had and everything she was had been assessed at that moment. She resisted the urge to sob as she feared that it hadn¡¯t been enough.


    His depthless eyes moved on to Tom standing beside her and she knew he took in every part of their appearance together, including their still clasped hands. The two men stood on either side of the room looking at each other wordlessly. The tension between them was palpable as all the other creatures edged to the furthest reaches of the room unwilling or unable to compete with this silent battle. Tom stood beside her unflinchingly as he maintained eye contact with the man. He was the first to break the silence.


    ¡®Hello, Father.¡¯

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    At those simple words, more of the puzzle clicked into place for Sarah. Tom¡¯s distracted behaviour, the leech¡¯s words of warning and even the strange propositions from the vampire and werewolf made sense to her. It was all because of this one man and their dread of invoking his anger. Looking at the powerful sorcerer she no longer blamed the creatures for their fear-induced comments.


    Sarah guessed it would take a lot to draw fear from the monsters in the room and it spoke volumes to her that this man could do it so easily. His presence was intimidating, his aura was powerful and with one look at his eyes, she was left feeling empty and meaningless. The other creatures in the room might not feel exactly as she did, maybe being undead made them immune to the depth of feelings of a mortal, but she could relate to their quiet fear and unwilling respect. This is what they had been waiting for, this man, Thaddeus, was their saviour.


    The sick feeling she had felt earlier doubled as she knew with certainty that things were going to get even more unpleasant for her. The imposing man facing her owned the house, it was his home, and as was evident by his unmasked hostility he wasn¡¯t happy about her presence there. She felt like an unwelcome houseguest, uninvited and crashing the party, and now she had to face the consequences. Her mind shied away fearfully at the thought of what those consequences could be.


    ¡®What is she doing here Thomas?¡¯ the older man¡¯s voice was quiet, barely any effort put into the motion of speech yet his words cracked in the air like a whip.


    Sarah found herself recoiling at the tone, let alone the fact that he was talking about her.


    ¡®She¡¯s staying here with me,¡¯ Tom¡¯s words weren¡¯t loud but his voice held an edge to it that she hadn¡¯t heard before.


    ¡®I can see that,¡¯ Thaddeus spoke with condescension, his words striking at Sarah like thrown knives as he glanced again at their hands. His tone made the coldness she had felt before seem like a tropical breeze compared to the freezing fear she felt now. ¡®But I asked why.¡¯


    ¡®I found her on the road not far from here,¡¯ Tom¡¯s words were weighed, a challenge in every syllable. ¡®In this realm.¡¯ Sarah noticed a quick look of surprise from Thaddeus at that. It was a look he hid smoothly, she had only noticed it as she had been watching his reactions carefully. She still wasn¡¯t sure why she had been able to enter this realm in the first place and it scared her to realise that Thaddeus didn¡¯t know either. She didn¡¯t think there would be much that he didn¡¯t know.


    She wondered if Tom had noticed the look as well as he continued. ¡®I couldn¡¯t leave her there with all your ¡­ guests ¡­ coming through, she wouldn¡¯t have survived. And as I was compelled,¡¯ the word was laced with obvious bitterness. ¡®By you to come here I couldn¡¯t take her somewhere safe. What would you have had me do?¡¯


    ¡®I think the answer to that should be obvious,¡¯ as Thaddeus spoke, he glanced at Sarah with contempt and she was glad that it had been Tom that had found her that night. She felt certain that his father would have left her to fend for herself. ¡®There were many ways you could have rid yourself of the problem, having sex with her wasn¡¯t one of them.¡¯


    Sarah would have died of embarrassment on the spot if she could. As she felt a flush colour her face, she momentarily considered giving herself to be eaten by one of the creatures nearest to her just to escape the awkwardness of the conversation. She had a feeling none of them would touch her though unless the imposing man granted his permission. It was bad enough that she was the subject matter, and not looking too modest in it either, but the way they were talking about her as if she wasn¡¯t in the room was insulting.


    She felt Tom¡¯s power radiating up from her hand, letting her know that she hadn¡¯t been forgotten, but it didn¡¯t reassure her as it usually did. The magic couldn¡¯t fight the crushing loneliness she felt, let alone the overwhelming fear, anger and shame. She looked at Tom, there was no sign of embarrassment at his father¡¯s reprimand instead she saw only the anger that had been written on his face since the older man had walked into the room.


    ¡®She¡¯s trouble. She has already proven to be on many occasions,¡¯ Thaddeus hadn¡¯t changed his tone but he had probably intended his words to sound more like an appeal. To Sarah, his argument still held the weight of authority and she didn¡¯t think they would be given a chance to counter. She watched him make his way towards them, his feet gliding over the floor as if he wasn¡¯t touching it. The power radiating from him intensified with each step until she almost felt he would crush her with his nearness before he stopped in front of them and continued in the same tone. ¡®If you hadn¡¯t been outside trying to return to her realm you wouldn¡¯t have been captured. Fortunately, you weren¡¯t captured for long but they might have learnt all kinds of information from you during that time. The creatures might know about us now, they might know our whereabouts and might be forming an attack. You have risked everything ¡­ for a human.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t help but notice he was well-informed about their activities and wondered which of the creatures had run to him with the story as soon as he had arrived. Looking around her she couldn¡¯t see any indication on the faces nearby but if she was placing a bet her money would be on the leech. There was something about that woman that made her uneasy, besides the fact that she was a giant leech, and she wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find that gossiping was a favourite pastime of hers.


    His words also made her silently question how they had known Tom had been captured so quickly. At the time she had just been grateful for the help but as she thought about it there was something that didn¡¯t add up. They hadn¡¯t been missing long before the rescue team was sent out and she was getting a mounting feeling that it hadn¡¯t been the vampire¡¯s or werewolf¡¯s idea to rescue them. Delia had mentioned someone using a spell but she hadn¡¯t said who. Looking at Tom¡¯s father she wondered if it was a coincidence that he had come home when he did.


    The authority of his voice pulled her out of her thoughts as his argument continued. ¡®And while she¡¯s in this house she¡¯s a distraction for many of the creatures. They can¡¯t focus, with you parading her around in front of them, tempting them. We need to be united in our fight against whatever it is that is out there taking our kind. She will be our undoing,¡¯ he continued quietly, staring into his son¡¯s face. ¡®She will be your undoing.¡¯


    Suddenly he moved away, turning his back on the younger man as if he didn¡¯t matter. ¡®Get rid of her!¡¯ The words were a command and as he still had his back to his son Sarah was sure he had been addressing the other creatures in the room.


    Sarah felt cold fear grip her at his words as she knew he wasn¡¯t talking about solving the problem of her presence by returning her to her realm. Getting her safely to her world, or saving her life, wasn¡¯t as important to him as it was to his son. Looking at the hungry creatures around her, and their sudden unreserved interest in her again, she realised it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to make a human disappear. She knew the police would never find her body in another realm.


    Thinking of her life, her friends and more importantly her sister, Sarah despaired knowing how worried they would be if she disappeared. Deanne would live in the shadow of grief and sadness, never knowing what had happened to her while holding onto the hope of seeing her again. She thought of her beautiful sister, a newlywed, and all the grief she had already gone through during her life only to face more pain. A pain that would be caused by this sorcerer with a god complex.


    Suddenly a spark flared up in her. Mentally fanning the angry spark into flames, she swallowed her fear and stepped away from Tom, yanking her hand away from his in the process. She was sure it only worked because he hadn¡¯t been expecting it.


    ¡®Wait!¡¯ her tone must have carried the command she had hoped for as she watched Thaddeus stop a few feet from her. As he turned, she noticed his face showed his surprise at the way she had addressed him, it was a look that was mirrored on every other face in the room. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the way she had spoken, or simply that a human had spoken, but she pressed on quickly, capitalising on his shock. ¡®I can help you.¡¯


    The surprised looks didn¡¯t leave any of the faces in the room and she hoped she did hold the ace card. The moment stretched on under his direct intimidating gaze while she tried not to show her nerve was dissolving.


    Finally, a look close to amusement crossed the sorcerer¡¯s face before he mouthed one word at her; ¡®How?¡¯


    ¡®I saw more of the building than the others last night,¡¯ Sarah hoped she was showing the correct amount of bravado rather than insolence as she moved over to the small table where the giant leech generally did her paperwork. Surprisingly the monsters nearby eased away from her as she passed rather than lunging at her vulnerability as she had expected. She was careful to contain her relief, knowing that her sudden power was borrowed from the situation. ¡®If you would like I can tell you what I saw.¡¯


    As she waited next to the desk, she didn¡¯t look at anyone else in the room, sure she would lose her nerve if their expressions showed amusement or disapproval, instead she focused on the man¡¯s bottomless eyes. Finally, he moved forward and she held her breath as he closed in on her, unsure of what he was going to do. She was sure he could read her every emotion and wasn¡¯t happy at the pleasure he seemed to gain from playing with her. He stopped on the other side of the table, close enough to loom over her but far enough away that she could still breathe. She was mesmerised by the force of the power that surrounded him like an aura.


    ¡®By the way, my name is Sarah.¡¯


    She held out her hand to him and ignored his condescending smile before his large hand engulfed her own. The force of his power before was like a small ripple compared to the avalanche she could feel radiating through their clasped hands. She stood still under the onslaught, sure he was testing her and knowing what the penance would be to fail his test. There was a flicker of some unnamed emotion within the depths of his eyes before the show of power slowly withdrew. She held on to the last, drawing strength from the fact that she had been able to, but was unable to contain a sigh of relief when it was over.


    She indicated to the chair next to him, polite and professional, and took her own opposite, wondering if he would kill her on the spot for the audacity of telling him where to sit in his own home. Still, she wanted to keep an eye on him, or more accurately on his eyes. They may be bottomless pits but she knew they were the only part of him that would give her any indication of what this imposing man might be thinking. He didn¡¯t relax into the chair as he sat almost formally in front of her, his body language telling her that while he was playing along for his reasons he was still very much in charge.


    She felt more than saw Tom at her side. He didn¡¯t touch her or give her any strength from his power and she was grateful. Thaddeus would know if he did and it might make her slip in his esteem if he had any respect for her at all. This was something Sarah had to do alone. She was bargaining for her life. Still, it was nice to know Tom was close just in case it went wrong.


    ¡®Go on,¡¯ Thaddeus said, his voice was soft but Sarah wasn¡¯t convinced.


    She leaned forward, folding her hands on the table in an imitation of his. ¡®How do I know you won¡¯t just have me killed as soon as I tell you what I know, to save you any more trouble?¡¯ her words were soft as well.


    ¡®How do you know that I can¡¯t just take what I need to know from your mind?¡¯ he was mocking her, playing a game that for him was a diversion but for her would mean death.


    Sarah thought for just a moment as she quelled the fear she felt at his words, still, she was confident and spoke calmly. ¡®I would be dead already.¡¯


    He inclined his head towards her in an imitation of a bow. It was a chilling verification of her answer and another show of his contempt. Again, she was reminded that her life meant nothing to this man. The information she had was the only thing keeping her alive, it was all she had to bargain with and she hoped it would be enough.


    She held out under his arrogant gaze, feeling each moment of defiance would be her last, as she waited for his word that he would keep her safe. She knew he could lie, could order her death as soon as she told him what she knew, but she held her tongue waiting for his assurance. For some reason, she believed it mattered.


    He remained silent, testing her. She sat still through the test hoping to appear confident, the idea to bargain for her life with the little she could remember from being captured was wobbly at best but she hoped he couldn¡¯t tell. The silent battle of wills played out for only moments but it seemed to Sarah to last an eternity. Finally, she felt the tension within her ease as the external force abated and she found herself able to take deep breaths again.


    The sensation didn¡¯t last long before Thaddeus spoke. ¡®If,¡¯ the word was drawn out as if it was an impossibility. ¡®You can tell me something that will help us against those creatures then I will give you my protection as a guest in my house. No harm will come to you under this roof. If not,¡¯ there was no change to his expression or tone as he continued. ¡®I will cast you out of the building and this time there will be no rescue.¡¯


    His gaze moved to Tom as he spoke the last words, underlining to Sarah that she was on her own. Taking a deep breath, she nodded in agreement as she tried to suppress the feelings inside her. She had this deep resounding feeling that Thaddeus was a man of his word. From what she had seen of his hostility towards her already she knew he would have no qualms about following through on his threat.


    Thinking about the banshees she had encountered, and even the creatures that could be passing through this realm on their way to visit Thaddeus, Sarah knew she wouldn¡¯t survive long outside on her own let alone make it safely back to her realm. If she had ever doubted the danger Tom had been working to protect her from, the image of her ruined car and her time in the cage had convinced her.


    ¡®Although you are wasting your time as I have all the information I need,¡¯ Thaddeus¡¯s tone was suddenly hard as he spoke and as he moved to stand Sarah could see he thought the meeting was over. Any barely-held patience on his behalf dissolved as she saw his contempt for her once again disfigure his arrogant face. It was clear to her now that he had never intended to listen to her. Sarah had known it was a dangerous game she had been playing, a game that she had never been in control of. ¡®What made you think you would know something that I don¡¯t?¡¯ Thaddeus asked with condescension, looking down on her with a cruel challenge in his eyes.


    ¡®Well,¡¯ Sarah answered his rhetorical question as calmly as she could while rummaging around the desk to find paper and pens. As she looked back at Thaddeus, she was glad to see a measure of surprise in his expression and disbelief in his gaze. She returned his look evenly before continuing. ¡®I¡¯m sure the ones that rescued Tom last night have filled you in on some of the building we were kept in, and I know Tom will be able to tell you about the caged area and the creatures themselves,¡¯ Sarah spoke carefully, glancing around the room to seek out the other creatures as she spoke. She could see that they wanted nothing to do with the conversation as they looked at her with matching expressions that questioned her sanity. ¡®Delia said you found us by using a spell,¡¯ she spoke as she shuffled the blank papers together that she had found spilled across the table. ¡®So now you know where to start looking. But as your information seems to be quite recent, I¡¯m sure I can help you fill in a few blanks.¡¯ She sent up a quick prayer as she said this hoping it was true.


    Sarah looked down at the blank pages in front of her, calling the images to her mind, before starting to carefully trace outlines and symbols on the paper. As she did so she noticed Thaddeus take a seat across from her again. She kept as much of an eye on him as she could while she sketched and she could tell the moment that his amusement with her returned. She was glad of it, the condescending amusement was better than the wrathful arrogance, if he stayed amused by her maybe he would hesitate to have her killed.


    ¡®When I was taken from the cage, I walked with one of the creatures through their building. We went the other way from the stairs that we escaped from so I don¡¯t think anyone else would have noticed it,¡¯ she kept drawing on the page as she spoke. The lines began forming together into the images she could see imprinted in her mind. She could sense the interest from the creatures around her, especially from the sorcerer and his son as she continued. ¡®There was a room with the banshees inside. At first, I thought they were celebrating and must be working with the other monsters but when one noticed me she ran towards me before stopping abruptly at the door. There was nothing to stop her from attacking me ¡­ except this.¡¯


    Sarah finished off the foreign markings and looked at the symbols she had traced, it wasn¡¯t a language she recognised but the marks had emblazoned themselves into her mind. She had always loved old languages and texts and it was a hobby of hers to try to translate bits and pieces she came across, but she was confident she would never find a book to translate the symbols she had drawn onto the page. She slid the paper over to Thaddeus carefully. ¡®It was written above the doorway and I think it¡¯s what the creatures are using to control the banshees. They didn¡¯t look too happy to be there, maybe if you break the spell ¡­¡¯ She let her words die off as he examined the paper she had given him.


    She noticed Tom move away to peer at the page over his father¡¯s shoulder. His face was a perfectly unreadable mask, almost a replica of the older man¡¯s expression. Neither said a word, obviously deep in thought as they stared at the strange marks on the page. After several moments Thaddeus grunted, it was the only indication Sarah had that the marks meant anything at all.


    ¡®There were more symbols too,¡¯ Sarah continued as she quickly started drawing on the fresh page in front of her, encouraged by the grunt. ¡®These were in a chamber that was empty except for a large altar. These symbols were burnt into the wall, and the room seemed important.¡¯


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Sarah finished off the drawing, including a crude example of the altar and rough measurements of the size of the room to indicate the height of the mysterious symbols and therefore convey their importance. She slid the paper across the table towards the two men, nervously holding her breath. She was surprised when Tom took the paper instead of Thaddeus before studying it intently.


    ¡®They were draining them,¡¯ he spoke as if to himself before continuing to his father, his voice the calmest she had heard it so far when addressing the older man. ¡®I saw a few of their prisoners, all creatures like us but their essences had been drained almost completely. They only left enough to keep them alive.¡¯


    ¡®And you?¡¯ Thaddeus asked with the first glimpse of concern for his son showing on his imposing features. Sarah couldn¡¯t help the snide thought that if she hadn¡¯t been successful in saving her life at least she had brought the family to more reasonable talking terms.


    ¡®The banshees bound my powers,¡¯ an expression of remembered pain flashed fleetingly across Tom¡¯s face, gone before most would have noticed it. ¡®And I couldn¡¯t use them while I was held captive but I got them back, eventually. What they did to the other creatures was a lot worse and also seemed permanent. This room must be where they were doing it.¡¯


    As she remembered the other creatures in the cages it suddenly clicked to Sarah that they were once like the imposing monsters in the room in front of her, only broken and scared by their powerlessness. She wondered at the magical strength it would take to turn those creatures into the feeble shadows of themselves that she had seen, doubting the experience would have been a quick, painless one. Still, she couldn¡¯t find it in her to feel any pity for them.


    The older man rose to his feet lithely. ¡®I will have to translate all these markings. Thomas, I will need your help later with breaking the spells. It will require a great deal of time and magic if it can even be done.¡¯ He gave Tom a pointed look at this and Sarah nervously realised he was referring again to her being a distraction.


    Observing that their interview must have drawn to an end she prayed that she had passed. She didn¡¯t know what to expect as she watched Thaddeus pause and carefully fold the papers she had given him, running his nails precisely down the creases before placing them in the breast pocket of his shirt. The task completed he began to move away from her wordlessly. She knew he was playing a game with her again and as she watched him making his way to the stairs she bit her tongue, refusing to beg. Still, she watched for the slightest command from him to the expectant creatures in the room. None came.


    Sarah rose to her feet carefully, forcing her weak legs to hold her up. She felt wobbly from relief, a relief that was increasing with every step Thaddeus took from her. She knew he could still command her death, could toss her outside without touching her and that he wouldn¡¯t have to be close to hurt her but still with every moment she felt a tiny bit safer. Even her breath came more easily as his crushing power moved away from her.


    At the base of the stairs, before he started ascending, he stopped. He turned and Sarah felt her earlier freedom snatched away from her as she held her breath and waited to see what would happen next. His endless eyes pierced her, and at that moment she was sure she knew what death felt like.


    ¡®What do you do in your world?¡¯ His question was so odd and out of place that Sarah wasn¡¯t sure how to answer it.


    ¡®I¡¯m ¡­ uh ¡­ I work in a library.¡¯


    His slow assessing gaze started at her feet and moved painfully up her body. There was nothing seductive about the course of his examination and she could feel the power probing at her being before his gaze rested on her eyes. His assessment was soon over but the results would not be forthcoming. He turned and ascended out of sight.


    Sarah looked around the room at the faces of the confused and disorientated creatures still crowding around. Any unity that their awe might have invoked earlier had vanished with the powerful man and she was now appalled by the nearness of the ugly faces surrounding her. The arrival of Thaddeus had installed an almost humanlike fear in them, a need to hide from his penetrating gaze and avoid his wrath, but with his departure, they resorted to the base monsters they were. It took only a moment before she noticed their expressions turn from confusion to something far more sinister, and again the looks were directed at her.


    Not liking her chances at bargaining with a room full of monsters she turned and looked for Tom. Finding him nearby gave her some comfort but with his recent withdrawn, almost inhuman, behaviour she wasn¡¯t sure if he would be the saviour she was looking for. The expression on his face did little to reassure her. Tom didn¡¯t move closer to her and she wondered if he too was afraid of invoking his father¡¯s anger.


    ¡®Is Thaddeus protecting her now or not?¡¯ the voice interrupted Sarah¡¯s musings and brought her quickly back to the moment and the danger she was in.


    Scanning the mob in front of her she realised the melodious voice belonged to a woman that she had noticed before, mostly because the woman was beautiful but also because she looked so human. There was something lithe and agile about the young woman and Sarah found her to be completely mesmerising. Despite the confusion in her voice when she had asked the question she smiled at Sarah now, noticing she was looking at her, and Sarah found herself unable to look away. As the young woman began to move slowly, almost seductively, in front of her Sarah¡¯s mind began to fog as her senses reeled and she was glad when another voice cut through the tension bringing her out of her stupor.


    ¡®We should put her outside so they can take her. Thaddeus said she was trouble and we don¡¯t need any more trouble,¡¯ another voice added from the crowd and although Sarah turned, she couldn¡¯t locate the owner of the angry tirade.


    Sarah felt the danger she was in. The monsters had never needed much convincing to turn on her, they just needed permission and Thaddeus might have given it to them. She doubted that whatever Tom had been using to keep them away from her would work now and wondered if he would even try. She missed his touch, his presence that protected her and made her feel secure and wondered at his lack of concern in the situation. As she looked at the monsters she grimaced in fear and revulsion as they started to advance on her.


    Unexpectedly she heard a noise, it sounded so odd and was something she would never be able to explain to another person. It was incredibly peaceful, the simplest form of tranquility, like the moment before falling asleep or the way you would feel if you were meditating in a green meadow beside a quiet stream at the bottom of a rainbow. She closed her eyes involuntarily as the feeling washed over her, filling her senses and soothing her nerves like a comforting blanket, reminding her of moments of safety from her childhood.


    Awareness came back slowly. Taking a firm hold of her senses once again and opening her eyes Sarah noticed that obviously, she was the only one in the room that felt the moment was relaxing. Tom was standing tensely, his jaw clenched tightly in anger or abhorrence. She noticed he was doing much better than the other inhabitants of the room though who were all writhing on the floor clutching either their stomachs or heads in agony.


    Tom moved over to her, carefully stepping over one victim that had wriggled their way between them on the floor, before resting his hand on the small of her back. She was relieved by the small touch although she couldn¡¯t detect any magic from him as the sensations around her were too overwhelming. She looked over at him and was rewarded with a small, tight smile.


    His apparent calmness was at odds with the chaos in the room, and Sarah looked at Tom in question before a single word formed unaided in her mind; Thaddeus. He had been true to his word and was protecting her now. The look on Tom¡¯s face made it clear to her that he was distrustful of his father¡¯s influence and she didn¡¯t need to be told that even though she was safe from most of the monsters in the building she might have just bargained herself into the protection of the biggest one. She was sure there would be a cost.


    She suddenly felt sickened by the power as she thought of the man that had produced it. The feelings of peace and security she had felt moments before were tinged with something dark, something untrustworthy and she wished she could have nothing to do with it. She didn¡¯t want to be protected by him but as she looked at the monsters in the room, easily kept at bay in one stroke, she also didn¡¯t want to be without it. Still, she couldn¡¯t help wondering if she was going to come out of all of this intact - with her soul.


    She marvelled at the man that could do this to other beings. She felt no sympathy for the monsters as they would do far worse to her if given the chance and she was sure they would have no lasting injuries from the experience, they were after all immortal, but as the monsters continued to writhe she wondered why they would tolerate it. It was understandable that they were afraid of the banshees and their masters and of being stripped of their supernatural essence. She just wasn¡¯t sure that Thaddeus was much better.


    Feeling Tom¡¯s hand still at her back she slowly became aware of his power radiating toward her. It was soothing, calmer than the raging force of his father¡¯s, and she felt it clear the last wisps of confusion from her mind as she mentally moved from the inability to absorb the horrific scene in front of her toward the calm logic of what to do next. She looked at him, thankful for the assistance that she knew had been deliberate. Remembering his look of aversion to his father¡¯s powers she wondered if he could relate.


    Wordlessly Tom walked forward, carefully directing her away from the monsters but strangely moving straight for the solid wall in front of them. He didn¡¯t pause in his headlong momentum and Sarah had to stifle a scream as she expected to walk face-first into the hard panelling. Taking a final breath before impact she realised that she should have trusted Tom more as she found herself instantly in another room.


    ¡®Was that the building or you?¡¯ she asked, remembering the building¡¯s ability to transport people.


    ¡®Bit of both,¡¯ Tom responded flippantly. He seemed more at ease now they were away from the spectacular display of his father¡¯s power. ¡®Although this isn¡¯t where I wanted to go, at least you will be safe in here. He won¡¯t enter this room.¡¯


    She curiously looked around the large room in question. It was another bedroom with an enormous four-poster bed and heavy wooden furnishings. The room was decorated in the same style as the rest of the building but she could detect some definite female touches that some of the other rooms lacked. The dark, sombre colours were the same hues that she had become familiar with, but the furniture was more ornate and was better quality, the chandelier was huge and expensive and the bedding was lavish with hints of dark lace and comfort.


    Walking over to a large portrait on the wall she recognised Tom¡¯s father with a beautiful woman at his side. It was an old-fashioned piece, the standard pose of the man standing next to the chair the woman was seated upon and their clothing suited the Victorian theme perfectly. They seemed happy as they smiled out at her from their place on the wall and she could see the love they had for each other in their comfortable embrace. It was as if they couldn¡¯t help but touch each other.


    Still, there was something hard about them that seemed at odds with the picture of romance. Looking at Thaddeus she noticed the painting didn¡¯t quite capture the power in his eyes but the fine lines on his face hinted at the hardness within the man. The sweetness of the young woman¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t quite cover the tightness in her face either or disguise the fiery will Sarah could imagine burning within her gaze. She shuddered at the thought of meeting them as a couple and instead turned to face the man in the room with her.


    ¡®This is his house, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ she asked already knowing the answer. ¡®This is your house.¡¯ Tom merely nodded as he leaned against an antique writing desk on the other side of the room watching her.


    ¡®Where is she now?¡¯ She indicated to the beautiful woman in the picture.


    ¡®She passed away, during my birth,¡¯ he answered, any emotion hidden in his tone. ¡®My father told me she wasn¡¯t strong enough to have a magical child.¡¯


    Sarah felt a pang of sympathy at his words. She knew what it was like to lose her parents but she had grown up in a loving family enjoying a happy childhood. She could only imagine what it had been like for Tom to grow up in this house with no mother and such a stern father, especially if Thaddeus had blamed him for his mother¡¯s death or worse if Tom blamed himself.


    She looked back at the seemingly strong-willed woman and wondered at the comment about her not being strong enough. The woman in the picture looked strong enough for anything. Although she was slender and petite, she almost looked like she could jump out of the picture and chase Sarah out of her bedroom.


    ¡®What was her name?¡¯ Sarah asked without taking her eyes from the picture in front of her. She hated to push the topic, knowing the conversation had to be hard for Tom but she felt she had to know more about the woman in the picture. It was as if there was some connection between them. A bond that she found more than a little terrifying.


    ¡®Catherine.¡¯


    Sarah realised she had known the woman¡¯s name before being told. The bond she could feel between herself and the woman in the picture became almost a living thing in front of her as it tightened with the realisation. She turned away quickly, breaking the unnatural connection with the simple movement.


    ¡®They look happy,¡¯ she commented, carefully hiding her unease about the couple.


    Looking back at the picture she made sure to keep her eyes trained on Tom¡¯s father, noticing the differences in the man with his smiling wife compared to the man she had met moments before. Her first impression was that he had hardly changed, but there was a hardness about him now that the picture only hinted at.


    ¡®They were,¡¯ Tom confirmed. ¡®He built this place for her.¡¯


    ¡®The house?¡¯


    ¡®The realm.¡¯


    Sarah spun around to see if Tom was joking but his expression was as calm as ever. She wondered just how powerful Thaddeus was that he could create an entire realm, and do so for the woman he loved.


    ¡®It was a place between both their worlds where they could be safe,¡¯ he explained, moving from his position across the room to come and stand in front of the portrait. As he wordlessly stared up at the image of his parents, she looked from the painting to the man next to her noticing the similarities between the three, especially between him and his father.


    ¡®But you said a human couldn¡¯t find their way into this realm?¡¯ Sarah queried softly.


    ¡®She was the only one that could,¡¯ he answered before turning to her. ¡®Until you.¡¯


    Uncomfortable with the query in his expression and the intensity of any possible reasons behind her accidental foray into his realm she moved her questions to safer ground.


    ¡®What about the creatures here, wasn¡¯t she in danger from them if she was human?¡¯ Like I am, she added silently in her mind.


    ¡®My father only invited them after her death,¡¯ he explained. ¡®Before she died it was just the two of them here. Unfortunately, they only enjoyed it for a few short years.¡¯


    She knew he meant until he was born.


    ¡®How long ago was that?¡¯ she queried, her curiosity about him piqued before she flushed and quickly rephrased the question. ¡®Since the house was built, I mean.¡¯


    A raised eyebrow was the only indication that he had noticed her slip before he answered, ¡®It was built nearly thirty-six years ago.¡¯


    ¡®But it looks so old!¡¯ Sarah couldn¡¯t hide her surprise that the house had been built so recently, as she mentally skimmed a few years off the figure to work out Tom¡¯s age. She was relieved to hear he wasn¡¯t hundreds of years old and that he also appeared to be aging normally as far as she could tell. The thought reassured her. She had held on tightly to the idea of him being half-human as it made her feel less alone in the paranormal realm.


    He laughed briefly at her surprise before explaining about the house. ¡®My mother wanted to live in an older era. They were accurate with their ¡­ decorating, and my father hasn¡¯t changed much in the house.¡¯


    Noticing his rare display of levity, she pressed on with her questions. ¡®So, it was just the two of you here while you were growing up?¡¯ She was hesitant to bring up an uncomfortable topic but she wanted to know more about his relationship with the hard, cold man she had just met.


    ¡®Most of the time,¡¯ Tom answered, his tone was serious but still light and she wondered at him being so open about his past when everything about him had been closed and distant recently. ¡®Sometimes we would have visitors and we travelled a lot.¡¯


    ¡®Visitors, you mean like the ones visiting the building now?¡¯ Sarah shuddered at the thought of a child coming into contact with the creatures she had seen during her stay. It was a terrifying thought, even if he was only half-human.


    To her surprise, he smiled broadly at her expression. ¡®They aren¡¯t that bad,¡¯ he stated teasingly and she wondered if he would feel the same way if any of them had tried to eat him. ¡®It was Elinor who started my interest in becoming a magician.¡¯ Sarah looked at him blankly at the name. ¡®Elinor¡¯s the one that usually sits at the desk you hijacked before.¡¯


    ¡®Ah, the giant leech,¡¯ she said sardonically but kept her tone light like his, ¡®Sorry I haven¡¯t been formally introduced.¡¯ She didn¡¯t add that it was because the woman hadn¡¯t been interested in meeting her unless it was for a meal.


    His smile stayed at her tone. ¡°She gave me a magic kit when I was about seven,¡¯ he went on with his story. ¡®It was probably just a joke but it got me interested in illusions and magic acts.¡¯ She noticed the cards were in his hands and had been the entire time they had been talking, she wondered when she had stopped noticing. She could now understand the connection he had with them if he had been practising since a child, it had probably been some form of a lifeline for him. ¡®It also made me interested in your realm,¡¯ he added.


    ¡®You hadn¡¯t been to my, umm, realm before?¡¯ She had thought that travelling would have included her home as well but he shook his head.


    ¡®My father didn¡¯t want anything to do with the human realm or even humans, after ...¡¯ He looked back up at the painting on the wall.


    Sarah felt she had at least part of the answer. She didn¡¯t think Thaddeus would approve of how Tom made a living with magic and living in the human world. She also knew that Thaddeus wouldn¡¯t approve of her, because she was human.


    ¡®But you like it there?¡¯ Sarah kept her tone purposely neutral.


    He nodded as he answered. ¡®I went there as soon as I was able. I found your world and the people in it had an innocence that appealed to me. As you can imagine it¡¯s hard to impress the creatures here with a few tricks and illusions,¡¯ he smiled as he said this and she chose to ignore the condescension in his tone realising he probably wasn¡¯t aware of it. ¡®So, I decided to stay.¡¯


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s pretty easy for you to come home whenever you want.¡¯ She thought of the convenience of having access to portals everywhere that could take you wherever you wanted to go.


    Tom¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡®I never come back here.¡¯ There was an edge of finality in his tone as he spoke and she was sure it was only the dire circumstances that had forced him to return this time.


    She remembered his wording to Thaddeus that he had been ¡°compelled¡± and the anger in his tone as he said it and sighed internally at the heavy-handedness she could imagine in the compelling. She decided not to press, remembering the sensation of the creature forcing her to walk with him and the feeling of not having control of her body. It had been a terrifying experience and wasn¡¯t something she wanted to talk about, she was sure he wouldn¡¯t either. Again, she wondered about the powerful man that had singlehandedly raised a half-human child but didn¡¯t hesitate to control him with magic.


    Tom continued, a lightness to his tone that she didn¡¯t believe. ¡®But I travel to other realms regularly, there are a few that are still impressed with magic.¡¯


    Suddenly Sarah was overcome with the sensation of weakness that she had felt before in her bedroom, only this time she wasn¡¯t surprised to see the woman appear on the other side of the room. She could see the ghost clearly and it was obvious that she was the woman in the picture in front of her; Tom¡¯s mother, Catherine. Whereas before she had been a brief glimpse or an impression of a presence, the woman now stood boldly in front of her staring at Sarah with an indescribable expression. She looked exactly as she did in the picture, nearly the same age, wearing the same clothing, and with the same forceful tightening around the mouth.


    As she looked at the apparition Sarah realised something that hadn¡¯t occurred to her before and she turned back to the woman¡¯s likeness in the picture quickly. It shocked her that Catherine had been so young when she had died. She had barely been in her twenties to look at her and she felt instantly saddened for the life that had been lost. The house had only known a brief time of happiness and had been consumed with sadness since.


    The overwhelming feeling that accompanied the spirit abated slightly and Sarah realised that she could handle it better than she had before. She could still feel the bond, only now it connected her to the ghost in the room rather than the picture of the woman, and with the strengthening of the connection came a feeling of shared emotions. Although she could feel little from the ghost Sarah felt that her sympathy towards the young woman was being picked at and carefully assessed, along with every other emotion within her. Rather than feel violated it made her feel stronger, surer of herself than she had felt since setting foot into the strange realm of monsters.


    She turned back to look boldly at the woman standing next to the bed.


    ¡®It¡¯s nice that you have your mother around still, even as a ghost,¡¯ Sarah spoke to Tom but kept her eyes on the apparition opposite her.


    ¡®My mother has passed on,¡¯ Tom spoke with certainty and Sarah glanced at him in confusion. There was no anger or hurt in his tone at her comment, just an absolute knowledge that his mother was no longer in this realm, in any form. She looked back to where the woman was standing, her confusion deepening as she watched the spirit vanish, the fatigue and weakness leaving her body simultaneously. She wondered how Tom, even with all his power and perception, didn¡¯t know that his mother was still in the house watching over him.


    She was just about to say so when suddenly Tom moved to the window and drew back the lacy curtain, a look of deep concern marring his features. Wondering what it was this time, and feeling sure she didn¡¯t want to know, Sarah moved to peer outside with him. She didn¡¯t need to be told what the swirling mass of clouds contained and it wasn¡¯t long before she began to hear the sound that she would recognise anywhere. It was a noise that she had heard before; it was the banshees.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Noticing the sheer size of the cloud outside Sarah felt dread well up inside her. There wasn¡¯t much of the sky that the dark swirling mass didn¡¯t cover and she wondered just how many of the banshees it contained. She didn¡¯t need to be told that this wasn¡¯t a normal hunting party, she had seen those before. This was an army ready for war.


    She looked at Tom in confusion. ¡®Are we safe here?¡¯


    She remembered being told that the building was protecting the inhabitants, and so far that had appeared to be true, but there was something about the ominous cloud outside that had a sense of determination about it. It seemed to be heading straight for them.


    ¡®We should be.¡¯ he answered distractedly.


    Tom¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave the darkness outside as he spoke and she could tell by the worry etched into every line on his face that he didn¡¯t believe what he said. The creatures knew where they were hiding. There were too many of them out there for it to be a coincidence that had gathered them all together; it was organised. She shuddered at the thought.


    ¡®What brought them here?¡¯ Sarah couldn¡¯t keep the tremble out of her voice, making her sound frightened and vulnerable. She felt sick with fear and blame. The comments made earlier by Thaddeus ran through her mind, that the banshees would know where they were hiding now because of them ¡­ because of her.


    She hadn¡¯t told the vile creatures anything while she had been held captive, she hadn¡¯t been given a chance to speak, and as far as she knew Tom had been unconscious for most of the time he had been a prisoner. Still, she didn¡¯t think creatures that could strip monsters of their powers would need to have a conversation to get the information they needed. The guilt pressed in on her. Was she to blame for the banshees being there now?


    Tom finally looked away from the mass of clouds and glanced briefly in her direction, his expression unreadable. ¡®It could be that they followed me when we escaped, or that they sensed Thaddeus using his powers.¡¯ He turned back to the scene outside, bordered rather appropriately by the dark-coloured curtains giving it even more of an ominous appearance. ¡®Either way, they are coming this way.¡¯


    He moved quickly towards the door but she didn¡¯t follow. She felt rooted to the spot in front of the window, eyes fixed on the terrifying scene it framed. The cloud drew closer, the denseness of it easing as it prepared to engulf the building and she could now see the thick mist that it was made of. She stared mesmerised at the threat just beyond the walls of their haven, knowing what sort of creatures it contained and what they would have in store for her.


    The clouds encircled the mansion on both sides and from her vantage point, she could start to make out the shapes of the creatures within. The cruel hard faces and wild unkempt hair of the banshees taunted her with menacing glimpses amongst the swirling cloud. Shuddering she remembered how many of the creatures had been held in the room at the prison. Both of the times she had been outside with them she had only encountered a couple of the beings at a time, the thought of all of them being out there paralysed her with fear.


    The noise was getting louder, the individual screams joining together to become a constant howl. She was completely absorbed by the evil she knew was out there. An evil that held her fate.


    ¡®Come on,¡¯ Tom grabbed her hand roughly and started again for the door, this time she had no choice but to follow. ¡®We need to find Thaddeus.¡¯


    As she let herself be dragged through his family home, she wasn¡¯t sure if finding Thaddeus was a better solution to facing the monsters outside. As far as she was concerned, they could open the doors and Thaddeus and the banshees could have a war to end it all, as long as she and Tom had returned safely to her realm first. She knew that wasn¡¯t an option. Thaddeus had already made it clear that returning her home wasn¡¯t a priority and she was sure he wasn¡¯t going to let Tom leave, especially now.


    Sarah had a feeling that his interest in keeping his son close wasn¡¯t due to any sentimentality. She recalled Thaddeus saying he would need Tom¡¯s help to break the spell and wondered how recent that knowledge was or if he had known for a while that he would need his son¡¯s magic to help defeat the threat to their kind. Was it a concern for his son¡¯s safety that had been his real reason for compelling Tom to return home or was Tom simply a tool that Thaddeus felt he might need close at hand? After meeting Thaddeus she was pretty confident of the answer.


    Thinking of the threat facing them she felt sickening defeat rise in her at the thought that Thaddeus might need help. She had felt his overwhelming power firsthand and had seen him wield it easily against the creatures in the building, incapacitating them in one move. Yet if he had been telling the truth he was worried that all the power he possessed wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop the banshees and their masters.


    ¡®Do you have a plan?¡¯ she asked Tom hopefully.


    ¡®I need to help him protect the building and keep them out,¡¯ he stated, hardly puffed with their scramble around. ¡®Hopefully, he¡¯s already found what we need to break the spell that¡¯s holding the banshees. If not, we will just have to fight them.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t feel any relief at his words and refrained from commenting that his plan sounded a little sketchy.


    ¡®Couldn¡¯t you have just teleported us?¡¯ her words came out in a puff as she felt her chest start to burn from the exercise mingled with fear.


    Tom moved easily as he replied. ¡®I¡¯m going to need my magic. I can¡¯t risk exhausting myself.¡¯


    Refraining from mentioning that she thought the run would be more exhausting than using his magic, she again noticed her ignorance towards all things magical as she hadn¡¯t realised that he could get exhausted using his ability. She had assumed there was just a useful supply of magic to be tapped easily whenever he needed it. Now she wondered just how much strength, physically and mentally, would be required to use it. She didn¡¯t ask, partially because of her loss of breath but mostly because the noise from the banshees had become so loud it was nearly impossible to think let alone talk.


    The shrieking and the nearness of the creatures weren¡¯t having their usual effect on Tom and she guessed that the building was still shielding them from the worst of it ¨C so far. It was probably why she was being forced to run from one end of the mansion to the other instead of being transported, as the house had a habit of doing without her permission. She allowed herself a small smile at this, she had never expected to become accustomed to the unusual conveniences of both the building and Tom¡¯s magic but was now willing to be manoeuvred at their will as long as it saved her a bit of a run. She wondered if she would miss it if she was ever able to return to her normal life.


    As they entered the main room downstairs Sarah could see the fear on all of the faces nearby. It appeared that everyone had gathered, fearful of what was to come and probably looking for some form of safety or support from the closest thing they had to friends. Now they stood awkwardly in a large group unsure of what to do. No one looked at her like prey anymore, they were all prey now. She could see it written on their expressions, recognising the paralysing fear that went with the mind-numbing assurance that something was hunting you.


    The monsters seemed to have the primal urge to survive still hardwired in their being. It sharpened their fear. Although they knew that the creatures hunting them wouldn¡¯t bring their deaths they knew that their powers would be bound, they would become helpless, empty shells of the beings they were now and she wondered if they feared that more. She took no joy in seeing her predators displaying these overwhelming emotions in their dark soulless eyes.


    She felt their fear. Knowing what the creatures would do to her if she were captured by the banshees again, she sympathised with the gathered mob a little, although for her there was nothing supernatural to bind. There was nothing attractive about her to the creatures other than a tasty little morsel. She remembered the crazed creature discussing the best way to prepare a human and his glee at once more tasting human flesh and again felt her stomach become unsettled with the nausea of revulsion that since arriving in this realm had been her almost constant companion.


    Sarah noticed Tom¡¯s father entering the room, the crowd parting for him as he moved purposely towards his son. Heads turned towards him at his approach and she could see the hopeful look the creatures gave their self-appointed leader. She knew a similar look was plastered on her face. As much as she disliked Thaddeus, he was the only one that could save them now.


    Her look was returned with a cold glare that made her stomach turn to ice and her heart feel like it had momentarily stopped. She felt his assessing gaze rake over her, feeling as if she had been flayed by the intensity of the look. He didn¡¯t need to say the words out loud for her to know that he blamed her.


    She resisted the urge to drop her gaze. Although she couldn¡¯t accept his unwarranted hatred towards her at least she could understand it after being in the room he had shared with his young human wife and after speaking to his half-human son. Thaddeus saw her as just a human, weak and powerless, a dangerous distraction. He felt that any relationship with someone like her would inevitably lead to pain. She knew that after the loss of the woman he adored, he would never allow himself, or someone he cared about, to get close to a human again.


    His eyes moved from her as he yelled towards his son, ¡®Tom I need your help with the book!¡¯


    Tom nodded as Thaddeus began to turn away from them, his message delivered and the urgency acknowledged. Immediately Tom stepped forward to follow his father, hand still clasped to hers tightly. As one their movements halted and every creature in the room stood statue-still as the noise outside painfully intensified. Sarah gasped and nearly fainted with fear as the noise surrounded, enveloped and eventually with a thunderous crash broke through.


    She barely had time for her eyes to adjust to the boiling, dark smoky aura that filled the room before she felt Tom¡¯s lips against her ear imparting one word. ¡®Run!¡¯


    She did. Any feelings of betrayal at leaving Tom were roughly pushed aside as she bolted from the safety of his touch and through the crowds of monsters that for once weren¡¯t a threat to her. They were too fearful to worry about her now. An expression of mesmerised shock was replicated on each face she passed, as they stood staring at the banshees entering their safe domain.


    Sarah knew the shock wouldn¡¯t last long and didn¡¯t want to be around when it wore off. She couldn¡¯t imagine what a fight with all these powerful creatures would be like and she didn¡¯t think it was beneficial for a mortal to try to envision it, let alone to hang around and witness it. That was if they even got the chance to fight. She had seen before what the banshees were capable of, they had incapacitated Tom twice before and he was one of the most powerful beings in the room.


    The guilt tried to overwhelm her as she thought of Tom. She knew what the nearness of those creatures would do to him and she hated the thought of him being in that much pain. There was also the debilitating loss of his magic that he would have to endure and if the creatures had their way this time it would be permanent. She could imagine him, helpless, with his magic once again bound.


    Swallowing down the sob that threatened to undo her resolve she pushed herself forward. Tom had wanted her to run and knowing she would be powerless to stop them from hurting him she kept the simple act of moving forward the only thought that was allowed to enter her mind. It wasn¡¯t long before she was beyond questioning her motives, her actions primal, a need to survive surpassing any other instinct in her body. Her brain felt like soup with the noise and chaos and marinating it all was her fear.


    She gave in to her primal instincts, making her way to the stairs in any way she could as the banshees advanced and attacked the crowd. Some of the creatures from the building were trying to fight while others were instantly paralysed by the horrendous unnatural screams. Dodging claws and fangs, climbing over prone bodies and liquid substances she couldn¡¯t even guess at Sarah tried not to think about what was going on around her, her only thought was to make it to safety. She made it to the base of the stairs and started to make her way up, crawling on hands and knees while obeying an unsubstantiated impulse that higher ground would be safer.


    She knew her room was warded against creatures. If she could make it to her bedroom hopefully it would keep her safe from the banshees as well. It was a flimsy plan at best, there was no way of knowing if the warding would continue to work, but it was still a plan. As she moved upwards, she assured herself that she would be safe if she could just get to her bedroom.


    Looking back over her shoulder at the room behind her she tried to get a glimpse of Tom and instantly wished she hadn¡¯t. Instead, her view was almost completely obscured by a black shapeless void that contained one of the creatures. The banshee¡¯s glowing eyes of the evilest red fixed on Sarah as the monster began to move forward purposefully. Sarah¡¯s heart hammered as she felt the monster¡¯s anger reaching out toward her.


    Not wasting another moment, she found her feet and mounted the stairs two at a time. Focusing on the landing in front of her she kept her mind fixed on the act of getting there, while with every step she expected to feel the impact of the creature capturing her from behind. It wouldn¡¯t be like when she had been captured before. She knew this time there wouldn¡¯t be any peaceful floating while she stared at the strangely hypnotic flames.


    This time the banshees were angry. She could feel the emotion mixed in with the mist rolling throughout the room, hear the difference in the banshee¡¯s screams and she had seen it clearly in every aspect of the monster chasing her. They wanted their revenge on the creatures that the building had been able to keep hidden so well for so long and by the sounds of the howls and groans and screams coming from below she guessed they were being quite successful at getting it. Their masters might want the creatures from the building alive so they could strip their powers but she assumed by the madness surrounding her that they didn¡¯t necessarily have to be healthy.


    She could see the first floor in front of her now and reaching out her foot she propelled herself forward off the last step, expecting to feel the solidness of the carpeted wood beneath her. Instead, she felt a shuddering, odd sensation that wasn¡¯t completely unfamiliar and felt a hollow void where the ground should be. Barely able to comprehend the situation in her fear she felt like she was falling for an eternity before she landed ungracefully on a dusty floor.


    It seemed the building still had enough power to transport her after all and as she lay there, she ungraciously wondered at its timing and intent. It didn¡¯t have to shield the guests from the banshees anymore but she wondered at it transporting her and not Thaddeus or Tom in their time of need. Realising that she was thinking of the building as a conscious being she felt foolish. Still, with all the strange things she had seen recently, she couldn¡¯t help wondering if the building was aware of what it was doing.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Remembering the time she had been transported into the kitchen while it was occupied by a hungry vampire, she stiffened wondering where she would find herself this time. Whoever it was transporting her around obviously didn¡¯t mind the danger it put her in. She hoped she had been wrong and that Tom had been transported too and that he would be there with her but there seemed to be very little logic when it came to transporting as far as she could tell. Knowing that speculation would get her nowhere she groaned at the thought of having to get up off the ground and see what was in store for her this time.


    Spitting out some of the dust that had ended up in her open mouth when she landed, she momentarily wished the building had still been too busy to relocate her. Remembering the scene she had left and the banshee chasing her up the stairs she chastised herself knowing the relocation had saved her life. A few bruises and some dust were a small price to pay. Still, she found it hard to be fully appreciative of anything in this realm, as she could never be sure that she was in a better situation than the one she had left.


    Sitting up to get her bearings her first thought was that it was quiet and dark and that she was alone. She didn¡¯t know how she knew that the dark emptiness around her was uninhabited, it was a certainty that she couldn¡¯t explain. The knowledge was bittersweet as she was grateful that there were no hags or hungry vampires nearby but it also meant there was no Tom.


    Feeling conflicted about the relocation she uselessly tried to wipe the dust from her eyes before allowing her other senses to take over in the darkness. She couldn¡¯t hear anything, the deafening silence almost painful to her ears after the earlier assault of noise. There was a mustiness to the room that made her think she was in a disused area of the house but there was something else to the smell, something familiar, which piqued her curiosity.


    Climbing ungracefully to her aching knees she looked around cautiously. The room was in complete darkness. The fear that never seemed far from her mind started to crowd in on her again. She was alone, afraid, and had no idea where she was or if anyone would ever find her.


    As she peered out, she slowly became aware of the darkness receding slightly in one area of the room. It was as if her vision was becoming stronger in the gloom but she knew her gradual ability to see had nothing to do with her own eyes. A strange light had slowly appeared nearby, illuminating a small space not far from where she fearfully crouched. The glow was pale and thin and she couldn¡¯t make out from her position what was causing it but she had an odd sense that there was power contained within the light.


    Looking upwards she could see that the light didn¡¯t come from the ceiling, she couldn¡¯t see a ceiling above her in the darkness. Not wanting to stare into the shadows too long she returned her gaze to the comforting glow. It did little to penetrate the blackness that closed in around her in the room but as she kept her gaze on it she felt secure with its presence. The longer she stayed kneeling on the hard floor the more reluctant she became to move from the safety of the light.


    Suddenly the room moved slightly, or so Sarah thought at first before realising that it wasn¡¯t the room that was moving but rather her light. It was leaving her as it moved deeper into the room, slowly easing itself away from where she crouched. Panic rose in her at the thought of being alone in the darkness but it was caused by more than a fear of the shadows. There was a security to the light that touched her deeply.


    Quickly rising to her feet she moved forward, bringing the glow a little closer again. Relief washed over her as she felt once again enveloped in its presence. The fear quickly abated. She began to feel bolder and when the darkness started to encroach on her again, this time she stepped forward with the light.


    She breathed deeply as she slowly moved step by step behind the light. Her interest in the room increased as she was able to place the familiar smell; books. She knew the dusty smell of old books, it was something that she looked for, and she felt a thrill of excitement. Her fingers twitched to touch the hard, worn covers and carefully reveal the delicate, aged paper within.


    She glanced around the room eagerly but was unable to make out anything in the gloom, not even the exit. Biting down on her rising panic Sarah¡¯s gaze moved back towards the light illuminating a space a few steps from her. She felt bereft when it left her and as she stepped closer to the glow there was a feeling of accomplishment. It was like she was a child again and was being congratulated for doing the right thing with a sticker from the teacher or a kind word from her mother. As she slowly followed the comforting presence she felt a calmness overtake her fear.


    Her mind wandered back to the books. She could almost see them as if the musty smell was helping her mind to paint a picture of what they would look like. The odd excitement returned, more intense than she had ever felt before, becoming like a living thing inside her. Compared to the books she could smell and the comforting light she could see everything else seemed unimportant.


    Momentarily forgetting the battle outside Sarah moved slowly and steadily forward in the room. Her sight never wavered from the mesmerising glow that was always one step ahead of her leading her onwards. She wondered at trusting it not to take her into danger but she was beyond doubting it. Within her there was an eagerness to please the light, she needed to feel that affirming sensation that she was being granted with each step forward.


    The illumination stopped in front of her again but this time it was different. She could see in the pale light that there was something in her path, a path that had been unhindered until now. As Sarah took the gratifying step towards the glow that seemed to be calling to her she found herself directly in front of the unknown object. Barely paying her surroundings any attention she became aware only of the light as it intensified around her.


    The glow was brighter now as it surrounded her and also illuminated a small part of the room around her. It was almost like someone had switched on a lamp above her and if she hadn¡¯t followed her light into it she would have thought that it was a different light altogether. Sarah felt her panic return as she feared that she had lost her glow, had got it mixed up with another and followed the wrong one, but as she reached out her senses again she could feel it still there. She recognised the sense of affirmation that she was doing the right thing.


    Still, there was this new light to contend with now. It was too bright, too powerful above her and it felt harsh compared to the comforting glow she had been following. She looked up at the source and instantly regretted it as it burnt her eyes and spots appeared in her vision.


    Turning away in pain she blinked her eyes a few times before trying to focus on the room around her. The pain had helped to clear her mind and she mentally shook herself from her daze. With the new light¡¯s intensity, she was able to make out more in the gloom. She was surprised to find that the room wasn¡¯t very big even though it felt like it had taken her ages to walk the small distance from where she had fallen.


    The light didn¡¯t reach out into the far corners of the room and the darkness crouched around the edges as if waiting for its chance to return. She felt a flutter of confusion that there appeared to be nothing else around her in the seemingly empty chamber. Her limited view of the walls was unbroken by furniture, windows or even pictures and she had to smother her unease when she also noticed the absence of a door. Absurdly what felt more important to her was that there were no bookcases to house the old dusty tomes she had been expecting. She looked around the room again, almost feeling as if she had been lied to.


    Any disappointment was short-lived as she once again focused on the object right in front of her. Looking at the book she knew that it was the reason for the new brighter light and also for the strange sensations she had felt in the room. There was something powerful about it that she had never felt from an object, but as the light bathed over both her and the book she had a feeling of being in the presence of something commanding. The thrill of finding the exciting book, as well as locating the source of the musty book smell, temporarily overruled any concern she had about reading something so powerful.


    Sarah reverently took another step closer to the innocent-looking stand that the book sat upon in the centre of the large room. The stand was unadorned and simple, made of a strong dark wood that she couldn¡¯t identify. Looking closer at the resting place of the book she realised that the stand had been made for this volume alone, it was almost as if the wood and the book were one. She moved her finger over the small ridge that ran completely around the top of the stand and she could only just make out where the open cover attached to it in a blurring of dark colour and fastenings. Even this close she could barely tell where the book¡¯s cover ended and where the dark wood began.


    Someone had wanted to make sure this book wasn¡¯t going anywhere, not unless the thief was going to steal the heavy stand as well. Looking at the solidness of the dark wood she had a feeling that lifting it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. Also, she knew the stand wouldn¡¯t move, it would be anchored firmly to the floor although she couldn¡¯t see any bolts. The book was too important to risk thievery. She knew this not only because of the heavy stand and the lengths that someone had gone to for it to be kept safe but because of the overwhelming power she could feel emanating from the old pages.


    The book itself was open nearly halfway through, the pages resting at an odd angle as if an invisible hand was holding it. The light illuminated the open pages and as she looked into them, she felt overcome with emotion and power. She found she could read the words quite easily, except they weren¡¯t in a language she recognised. Trying to turn away Sarah realised that she wasn¡¯t able to take her attention from the book, it was as if suddenly the book owned her and was controlling her.


    Panic welled up inside her as she felt once again imprisoned by a force outside of her own. Her memories flashed to being trapped by the mesmerising flames of the banshees and the effects they had on her unresponsive body. It was a memory she would have preferred to remain buried, she never wanted to feel that way again let alone so soon. Still, as she tried to resist and force movement into her body she knew it was pointless. She couldn¡¯t fight it, the source of the paralysis might have been different but the effects were just as destructive.


    As she opened her mouth to scream or cry for help, although she wasn¡¯t sure if anyone would be left in the building to help her, she sensed more than saw Catherine in the room with her. Feeling the woman¡¯s unthreatening presence beside her Sarah was overcome with relief. She was sure that Tom¡¯s mother would be able to save her from whatever it was that had bound her to the book. The bindings might have been invisible but there was no denying that she was shackled to the book and its stand and would not be free until it wished her to be.


    Sarah remembered how Catherine had sent the little boy to save her before and knew she was going to be rescued again. She wasn¡¯t sure why the ghost seemed to be intent on looking out for her, maybe it was because they were both humans, as Catherine had been originally, and therefore she might know some of what Sarah was going through. Still, whatever her reasons Sarah was grateful for the help as she allowed a small smile of relief and thanks to touch her mouth. She was unsure if the ghost beside her could see her gratitude as she was still locked in the book¡¯s power and unable to turn her head towards the apparition.


    The smile quickly died on Sarah¡¯s lips and her spirits sank as she felt the ghost¡¯s hand rest lightly on her shoulder. The touch might have been light but there was a leaden feel to it that seemed to anchor her more firmly to the spot. Even if she had been able to remove herself from the book¡¯s tangle, she knew there would be no escape from Catherine. There was no pain in the touch, no tearing of skin or wetness of blood, but there was something in it that scared her even more. Any thought that Catherine was there to save her quickly fled as she felt the woman¡¯s intent.


    Seeing the familiar glow of light from the ghost beside her didn¡¯t help Sarah¡¯s feelings of betrayal. This time the glow didn¡¯t have the sensation of acceptance or praise, it was a cold hard thing of manipulation. Even though Sarah could see it for what it now was she still recognised it for what it had been. She knew that it had been Catherine that had led her to this place and she wondered if whatever it was that was going to happen next had been part of the woman¡¯s plan from the start.


    Sarah¡¯s eyes were still firmly trapped on the book in front of her and as she stared into the unfamiliar text on the page she suddenly began to understand it. Catherine spoke into her mind through the touch, not in words but in emotions that Sarah could vaguely understand. Her primal instincts comprehended the message, yet it left her conscious mind in confusion. The instincts won and Sarah felt her reasoning diminish as she was completely overtaken by the impulses of another, foreign to her own.


    They stood there, side by side as Sarah began to speak the written script, her words a whisper in the air. The fatigue that she usually felt at Catherine¡¯s arrival was absent as her presence emanated a power that coursed through her touch and into Sarah¡¯s soul. A compulsion beyond any felt before forced the sounds through her lips and into the dark room. It consumed her as she read on, it flowed through every nerve in her body, sparked off every hair and swirled through her very being.


    As Sarah¡¯s body filled with energy, her senses intensified to undreamt-of abilities, empowered by the forces around and through her. Suddenly she could hear the fighting again, it sounded louder, closer and fiercer outside her sanctuary and she felt a moment of anger that they were interrupting her concentration. The magic and the book had her completely beyond her own will, she could not blink, could not straighten or turn away and could not stop the strange words from flowing out of her mouth. The noises outside, the sensations within all became one as she read. She felt the power within her resonate more fiercely than anything she had experienced.


    Her voice grew stronger as her resistance grew weaker and a part of herself deep within started to drift. Sarah knew instinctively that continuing would kill her, or worse, but still, she couldn¡¯t stop. She wondered fleetingly why Catherine would do this to her and felt a sorrow touch her mind in a strange caress. It felt callous. There was nothing of apology in the touch, it was just a feeling of sorrow that was there fleetingly before it was gone. Acknowledged and discarded without full comprehension.


    Still, the words came. There was an odd repetition to them that Sarah felt rather than understood as she continued to read aloud the unknown language with the last of her strength. The sorrow that had fleetingly touched her mind flooded her body as she suddenly knew that her efforts hadn¡¯t been enough. She wasn¡¯t sure what the words had been trying to achieve but she felt despair that was both internal and external as she realised she had let everyone down, especially Catherine and the book.


    She wanted to tell them that she would keep trying and that she could do better. The childish part deep inside her that had been awakened by the power of the light was desperate to please, but she knew she lacked the strength. Although the words still hadn¡¯t stopped pouring from her she knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before she had no choice. The writing on the page began to dim before her eyes and her voice started to falter through the words, as her essence ebbed and the power waned.


    Sarah wasn¡¯t sure if she blacked out as darkness tried to claim her but before she could move from her place in front of the book everything snapped back into focus. Her voice continued on the strange words and she knew instinctively that she hadn¡¯t faltered on a single syllable. She could feel the power from Catherine¡¯s touch as before but there was something different - something more - that was making Sarah stronger. She was no longer merely reading the words, she was empowering them as they marched boldly from her lips.


    She knew that whatever was strengthening her was external to the two figures in the room but at that moment she didn¡¯t care. It only mattered that it was there as she mentally grabbed onto it as a drowning person would grab onto a raft.


    The sounds she had heard outside the room began to fade as if recoiling from the maelstrom within. Catherine¡¯s hand on her shoulder was less of a touch and more of the grip of someone desperately trying to hold on. She felt no sympathy for the spirit, Catherine had wanted this and had been willing to sacrifice Sarah to get it. As she felt the urgency of the power calling to her Sarah picked up the pace of the reading, her voice nearly hoarse from the exertion, as she greedily absorbed the power and poured it out with every ounce of her being.


    The words began to take on a presence of their own as a vortex of power opened up within her that seemed to encompass the room. It threatened to blind her but she held on to the book stand in front of her, never faltering from the words on the page that were becoming streaky with the watering of her eyes. Her entire universe condensed until it only consisted of the power and the sensations that went with it. She gave until she had nothing left and with a sigh uttered the words again and again knowing she couldn¡¯t stop.


    Abruptly the words ended. Sarah gasped with the suddenness, her throat constricting as she came back to consciousness and full physical ability with a jolt. The invisible shackles were broken. She was free.


    Slowly she became aware of her surroundings again. There was nothing to indicate that the power had done anything. There was no sound or motion in the suddenly silent room to signify an ending or an accomplishment of any sort. Still, she knew it was over.


    The page in front of her emptied itself, as if all the words, once spoken, no longer existed. The power was torn from her in much the same way as if it had never really been there. Sarah no longer felt powerful and strong. Suddenly she felt exhausted and empty as if loneliness, sadness, confusion and fear were the only emotions she had ever known. It was as if happiness had never existed, joy was a fairy tale and peace was just a cruel joke.


    The book in front of her appeared to be just an ordinary, old, dusty book. The light extinguished instantly with the disappearance of the words and Sarah found herself alone in the darkness. Catherine had left as soon as they had finished their task, her abandonment adding to Sarah¡¯s despair. She had no compulsion to move, the darkness in the room seemed appropriate for all that she had lost and for all that she now was. She felt as empty as the blank page in front of her.


    Sarah gripped the edges of the podium and tried to hold on to her sanity the same way. She barely noticed the unnatural jolt she received from her touch against the wood, something she hadn¡¯t noticed earlier. It was all she could do not to cry out with the pain and misery she felt. Her weak grip gave way as she plummeted to the floor, barely aware of the door to the room opening nearby and the figure rushing towards her.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Tom had told Sarah to run knowing that it wouldn¡¯t do her any good. Deep down he just hadn¡¯t wanted to watch her die and he cursed himself for his cowardice. He should have stayed with her and protected her. It would have been better than suffering the nerve-wracking agony of not knowing what had happened to her. If she had stayed, she might be dead by now but he knew that by running she couldn¡¯t have survived this long on her own.


    The disorientating chaos of the fight was making it impossible for him to sense her anywhere in the building and the way the banshees upset his powers wasn¡¯t helping either. He still had his magic but it came and went in erratic patterns and was next to useless in these conditions. He¡¯d made the decision quickly, telling himself he could hold the creatures off so that she could escape, but he had known it was useless. Still, he had tried.


    The banshees hadn¡¯t seemed too worried about the condition of the prisoners this time and he hated to think what they would have done to a human. The creatures he had seen go down around him were in pretty bad shape. It didn¡¯t seem to matter how strong they were or how well they fought; the banshees were stronger.


    Now Tom crouched on the hard floor, no longer aware of what was happening around him and unable to do anything about it anyway. He wondered about Sarah again. The last he had seen she was heading towards the stairs but then the banshees had been upon them and he had been immersed in the carnage.


    With surprise he felt some of his magic surge within him, it gave him strength but little more. The banshees seemed to be having trouble binding his powers and he wondered if the size of the mob was giving them problems or if the house itself was still helping him, even in its weakened state. Either way, his magic had proved pretty useless against them. Whatever spell was aiding them was stronger than he had realised. They were unstoppable.


    Still, he had fought with everything he had; his magic, his fists and everything else at his disposal. He couldn¡¯t let the banshees win. The fighting had been brutal, and it had seemed to go on forever.


    Tom sensed more than saw his father by his side. He didn¡¯t have to look at him to know that although the great man had been brought down he was still alive, broken and virtually powerless but alive. Thaddeus had mentioned something about the book and had been wearing his trademark smug look just before the creatures had attacked. It had been pointless though, there had been no time to break away to read the pages. All they could do was fight as they had, side by side, using all the combined magic at their disposal. It hadn¡¯t been enough.


    The fighting was still going on around him as Tom hunched helplessly on the floor. He could hear the otherworldly screams and tried not to think about the agony the creatures must be going through. He had to save whatever strength he had. He looked over at his father, lying on the floor nearby with his face turned away, and Tom knew he had to use the last of his strength to get up. He couldn¡¯t die like this.


    It was different for the other creatures - the immortals - even his father would survive. Their pain could go on forever but still, they would survive in some form. Tom was one of the few half-mortals there that could be killed by the fighting. He could withstand more than humans but he knew that if this continued he wouldn¡¯t live past this day, past this fight.


    Marshalling his strength, he tried to stand but was bumped back down by some unfortunate being that had fallen to the ground. The fighting seemed to have moved in the room and somehow he had found himself in the middle of the chaos. Any thought of standing and fighting fled as he was pummelled by flailing limbs and creatures stumbling over him in their fright. Closing his eyes, he gritted his teeth against the pain.


    Suddenly as the fighting got to its most frantic, frenzied mess he felt something different begin to weave throughout the room. Teasing on the edges of his consciousness at first, it slowly made itself known to him. Intrigued by its oddness he forced himself to concentrate on the sensation. It was weak magic, one that was so different to all the other powers surrounding him that it seemed out of place. Unfortunately, the magic was so weak that it was completely useless against the forces within the room.


    Still, there was something in the unknown power that drove his body on and filled him with purpose. Rising to his knees he looked around as if to try to see the source of the magic. It felt as if it were coming from the depths of the building but he couldn¡¯t latch onto anything definite about its location or who was behind it. He didn¡¯t recognise the magic, yet there was something so familiar about it that was calling to him.


    Looking around quickly he realised that no one else in the room seemed aware of the new energy in the building. No one seemed affected by the power. It wasn¡¯t strong enough to even hint to them its presence let alone dispel the anger of the inhabitants and stop the fighting. Absurdly he knew that this was what it was trying to do.


    As he ducked under a rogue elbow Tom ignored the fighting around him, the weak magic was all that mattered. He could feel the power trembling along and slowly felt every nerve of his body responding, every ounce of his being sparked with power and he shuddered with the experience. He looked towards his father again, only to find him still prone on the floor. The magic hadn¡¯t stirred him from his languid state and Tom knew that it didn¡¯t call to Thaddeus as it did to him.


    Knowing what to do Tom bent to the task, hoping he would be able to help from his distant spot in the middle of the fight. The timid power wasn¡¯t destructive enough on its own. It was thin, hollow, an echo of the force that would be needed. He plied his magic towards it, almost strumming against it like playing with the strings of a guitar before catching the wave of it and flowing everything he had into its current while letting it propel him along.


    It called to something deep within him, tapping into parts of his magic that had never been used before, and as he pushed out along with it he felt it reach into his soul. He knew he had to withdraw a part of himself if he were to survive, the amount of power he was using wasn¡¯t safe and he was nearing a dangerous state of exhaustion. Yet as the strange force wobbled uncertainly alongside his he knew he had to give everything. Tom fell forward, catching himself before he hit the floor as he hunched concentrating on every inch of his being and the power within it.


    A trembling vortex opened up around him and Tom couldn¡¯t be sure if it was within him or actually in the room. He could no longer see the other creatures as the maelstrom obscured his vision. His entire universe consisted of the power and the sensations that went with it. It flowed from him and through him until it felt like he would snap under the effort.


    Suddenly there was a loud noise, a flash and then silence.


    Slowly Tom found his way back to his knees and tried to look around. His ears were ringing from the loud noise and his vision was still blurry from the magic but there was something different about the shifting shapes nearby. Blinking away the darkness he slowly started to make out the room, becoming aware of the silence and stillness around him. Looking at the familiar faces he could see the looks of confusion they wore and it took him a moment to realise what had happened. There was no longer a threat in the building, the banshees had vanished.


    Climbing to his feet, Tom held on to the whisper of power he could still feel drifting through him. He reached out his senses, focusing on the thin trail of magic and following it blindly to its source, unaware and uncaring of the other creature¡¯s movements as he moved through the lower rooms of the building. He had to find the source of the power it was all that mattered. He had begun to pick up on a sense of urgency from the thin thread, it was an emotion he felt outside of himself but still connected to him.


    He moved as if in a daze as he used the remnants of the power as his guide. It led him to a familiar door, one that opened into the room his father had been trying to get to earlier. It made sense that the magic had come from this room, but it didn¡¯t answer who was using it and Tom¡¯s questions remained. As he approached, he threw the door open without wasting time touching it, the urgency and fear he felt propelling him along. In the shadowy light cast from the open door, he could just make out the figure collapsing beside the ancient book.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Sarah was floating on what felt like a cloud. The emptiness was still inside her but it felt like it was outside her as well. She was surrounded by a vast nothingness that encompassed everything. There was nothing before her or beside her, no future and no past, and she felt that the sensation of floating was all that mattered. She wondered if this was death.


    Slowly she reached out a hand, expecting to feel a handful of soft clouds and was surprised to discover that the clouds seemed to be made of cotton. The thought skittered across her consciousness and was gone before she could grasp it fully. She floated, seemingly forever, before she once again became aware of the hardness of her cloud. Carefully running her fingertips across the expanse, she felt an oddly detached disappointment that her cloud was a bed.


    Opening her eyes slowly, she realised she was back in her bedroom in the mansion. It was a fact she recognised but felt nothing about. The emptiness was still consuming her as she lay there uncaring of her surroundings. She ran her eyes over the dark colours of the bedding feeling that it expressed her mood for once, the dark was soothing.


    The emptiness called for her to close her eyes again, there was no reason to fight it even if she could. Before she could obey her heavy eyelids, she became aware of movement within the room and wondered if she should feel afraid, it could be a monster, but fear seemed to be beyond her. Irritation at the interruption to her drifting seemed to be a far better emotion but it too was tantalisingly out of reach. She decided to simply wait to see what would happen.


    Tom appeared in her vision as he sat down on the bed beside her and gently took her hand. She noticed that he looked concerned but she couldn¡¯t be bothered wondering why.


    ¡®How do you feel?¡¯ he asked.


    The words were simple and as they drifted through her mind she tested them out distractedly. She thought about a response, weighing up the effort it would take to answer. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he wouldn¡¯t be happy with a simple ¡°good thanks¡± so she didn¡¯t respond. As she closed her eyes again she hoped she could go back to her peaceful cloud.


    ¡®Sarah,¡¯ his voice was a command that brought her back to the present and she opened her eyes again. ¡®I¡¯m going to help you.¡¯


    She looked into his face for a moment planning on closing her eyes again when she saw something in his gaze that stopped her. An emotion flickered through her and she recognised her fear of losing control of her own body again, a remembered sensation from being overcome while reading the book. Still, the emotion was weak. It was as if the feelings were from someone else, an echo of who she was, and she gave up on them quickly.


    There was something different about the sensation this time. Looking into the depths of Tom¡¯s eyes she felt an odd awareness flow through her body, more calming than she had expected. It was similar to the feeling of peace that she had felt when Thaddeus had saved her from the monsters but it was gentler, more controlled and completely centred on her.


    The sensation was tinted with the power she had felt while reading the book, like a signature she recognised. Remembering that terrible power made her think of floating away again but something was comforting in the familiarity of the magic. This was the ¡°something else¡± she had felt while reading the book. This magic had saved her.


    As the feeling flowed through her she started to feel more like herself. The darkness began to retreat and the emptiness that had consumed her began to fill up again. The emotions she held deep within, feelings she had always thought were sacred and unable to be touched, seemed to slot back into their proper places inside. It was like she was putting back on her skin and settling down inside it, finding it well-worn but comfortable and entirely her own.


    The feeling eased before abating completely only to be replaced with another emotion that she was powerless to control, she began to weep. Tom waited patiently, simply holding her hand as the feelings washed over her one after another and the tears slowly trickled their way down onto the pillow under her head. Eventually, they subsided and Sarah found herself feeling more normal than she had in days. The outpouring of emotion had cleansed her, helping her to put all the horrors she had experienced and witnessed behind her.


    ¡®Feeling better?¡¯ Tom asked as he handed her another tissue from the box that had magically appeared beside her at the beginning of her meltdown.


    Sarah nodded as she sat up and cleaned her face of the last of the salty tears that had bathed it.


    ¡®What happened to me?¡¯ her voice shook as she spoke and she wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to know.


    Tom indicated gently for her to shuffle over on the bed and moved to sit beside her. Leaning his back against the headboard he stretched out his long legs comfortably and looked up at the curtained posts above them before answering. ¡®The magic can do that,¡¯ his voice was soft as if he was talking from a long way off and she looked at him with concern.


    ¡®Is it like that for you?¡¯ she asked quietly.


    He looked at her before he answered and she could see the honesty in his eyes. Sarah knew they had shared something that no one else could understand. There weren¡¯t many people to talk to about the after-effects of magic and as a mortal, she could attest that was a good thing. She didn¡¯t want to think about anyone else going through something so distressing.


    ¡®Sometimes,¡¯ he answered seriously. ¡®But I¡¯m used to it now.¡¯ His smile and attempt at levity did little to cover the pain.


    She tried to imagine becoming used to those feelings. It had been terrifying to have her emotions beyond her control and she knew she wouldn¡¯t want to go through it again. She also tried to imagine what it would have been like to experience it as a child, growing up in this house with monsters and an imposing father and learning the magic that left you feeling devastated in its wake. No wonder Tom hid behind the mask of a performer.


    ¡®Also, it¡¯s worse for humans,¡¯ he continued, reminding her that he wasn¡¯t completely human himself. She wondered if Thaddeus had been born with the ability to control the magic and emotions, if he even had those kinds of emotions, and how much of that Tom had inherited. Remembering his expression moments before she thought he might be more human than his father would have preferred and despaired at having to regularly face even a part of what she had felt. ¡®And ¡­ it¡¯s not usually that bad, that was strong magic you were playing with.¡¯


    Sarah nodded numbly at his words, her mind trying to filter through the information and finding it impossible before she remembered why she had been using the magic in the first place. She was ready to jump out of bed at the thought of the banshees still being around and wondered why Tom was sprawled out so relaxed beside her.


    ¡®What happened to the fighting?¡¯


    ¡®All over with. We won, thanks to you,¡¯ his tone was lighter now they were on safer topics, no longer discussing shared vulnerability and remembered pain. ¡®You broke the spell that was holding the banshees captive. Once they were free they fled, as we expected. They¡¯ve probably gone back to take some revenge on the creatures that were controlling them.¡¯


    His expression turned serious and she wondered if that was what he would do in their position. She knew that if given a chance of freedom she wasn¡¯t going to waste a moment¡¯s thought on revenge, even if she could achieve it, and would be running as fast as her legs could carry her.


    As if he had read her mind, he lifted her hand to his mouth and placed a careful kiss on it before quietly stating, ¡®It¡¯s safe for us to go outside now, I can take you wherever you like. You can go back to your realm.¡¯


    Sarah smiled at the thought. The idea of going back to her normal life was enough to make her want to spring out of bed and run for the door but then she thought of Tom.


    ¡®What about you?¡¯ she asked carefully, her tone still carrying her joy at the thought of the freedom she was finally being offered. ¡®Are you going back to ¡­ um ¡­ my realm as well? They¡¯ll be missing their world-famous magician by now.¡¯


    Tom laughed slightly at the term before shaking his head. ¡®I can¡¯t leave just yet. Now I¡¯m here I have to stay,¡¯ his voice had a wistful quality and she knew he wasn¡¯t thrilled about the idea, but he was resolved. He continued in a stronger tone. ¡®We¡¯ve already sent out a few of the guests that survived the fighting in one piece. They¡¯ll follow the banshees and scout out what¡¯s happening at their lair and once we have that information we will be following it up with an attack. We have to move quickly, the banshees could be placed back under those creatures¡¯ control again and then we will have another fight on our hands. Now that we know what spells they use we can work out how to beat them but we can¡¯t keep going around in circles. We have to finish this while they¡¯re weakened. Hopefully, the banshees are starting to take care of them already.¡¯


    Sarah noticed the use of the word ¡°we¡± in his sentences and knew he was specifically referring to his father. She supposed she was glad they seemed to be on better terms than that first awkward confrontation earlier but she hoped spending time with Thaddeus wouldn¡¯t harm Tom. She was finally starting to see something more human in him and was concerned about him losing it again, something she was sure Thaddeus would encourage.


    The happiness she felt at going home was dampened slightly by the uncertainty of when she would see Tom again if she even would. During the confusing, scary and disorientating past few days, he had been her one constant. The one thing that had kept her going and even kept her alive.


    ¡®So where to?¡¯ Tom asked casually.


    He was still leaning against the headboard but sometime during their conversation, he had slumped into a more comfortable position on the bed. As he angled his eyes at her in question she couldn¡¯t help thinking that he looked so perfect, so human and so very tired. She kicked herself for not noticing before how the toll of the past few days had exhausted him. Although she wasn¡¯t sure how long she had slept she was sure he would still need to recover from the fight with the banshees.


    It had been his magic that had helped her and remembering the power of it and his earlier comment that using his magic could exhaust him she wondered how he was still awake.


    ¡®Is it ok if we just stay here a while?¡¯ Sarah couldn¡¯t believe that the words had come out of her mouth and by the quizzical look on Tom¡¯s face, she could tell he couldn¡¯t believe it either. Yet as she said it, she realised that however odd this realm was this was where she wanted to be, at least for a little bit longer. Tom nodded wordlessly, relaxing beside her on the bed. They lay there silently, savouring the moment between both of their worlds and outside of their lives, with hands clasped in affection.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Sarah sat up in bed with a start, not sure if she had fallen asleep. Her mind was strangely foggy, her thoughts and memories a blur, but there was one clear thought. Tom was still beside her, fast asleep, and she looked at him with a smile. It was one of the few times she had seen him peaceful and she hated to disturb him.


    Moving carefully off the bed she hoped he would continue to sleep, what she had to do would be hard but this time his presence wouldn¡¯t make it easier. Tip-toeing silently across the room she opened the door a crack and peered out into the dimly lit hallway. She was afraid. Still, there were some things she needed to know and there was only one man that would be able to answer her questions. She only hoped he would.


    As she made her way to the stairs, she wondered what would happen if any of the creatures saw her. Was she still protected by Thaddeus? Was she magic now and therefore one of them? She didn¡¯t think that they would leave her alone simply because she had helped save them from the banshees and the powerless fate they had planned for them.


    Making her way downstairs she was grateful to see that the area was surprisingly empty for once. A few creatures were sitting or standing around in the corners of the great room but there was no sign of the mob that was usually gathered. None of the creatures made a move towards her as she descended, most barely looking in her direction. She wondered if they were hurt or weakened from the fighting.


    Thinking of the battle brought back memories of the all-consuming fear she had felt, a fear that she had been able to suppress until now. Entering the room she remembered the screams, both of the banshees and their victims and the horror that she had witnessed in the short time she had been downstairs. It chilled her to remember. She knew the fighting would have become far worse before she had been able to read from the book and felt sorry for the victims.


    There was nothing to indicate that there had been a battle there recently. The room was the same as every other time she had entered it, the dark mustiness uninviting but not out of place. Everything had been put back to normal quickly, and she wondered if they had used a spell or if some of the creatures were just good at housework. She might consider giving them a job cleaning her house if that were the case.


    Forcing her errant mind back to the job at hand she was relieved to see the giant leech, Elinor, at her desk. Sarah made her way over to it carefully. As she moved past a few monsters she noticed that up close her appearance was causing curious glances but thankfully the gazes lacked the usual lust-filled hunger and she wasn¡¯t inciting a commotion. No one paid her much attention for once.


    The leech didn¡¯t look up from her work as Sarah approached. Sighing, she realised that things hadn¡¯t changed as much as she had thought. Summoning up her nerve she pressed on anyway, ignoring the voice in her head that was telling her that this was a bad idea. For some reason, that voice of sanity sounded very small and very far away.


    ¡®Where can I find Thaddeus?¡¯ Sarah asked without preamble.


    Elinor glanced up at her arrogantly, obviously appalled by the distraction to her seemingly never-ending paperwork. Sarah tried not to notice the skinniness of the leech, ignoring the hunger that was written in the creature¡¯s body language. Elinor looked back at her work without answering and Sarah was about to ask again, unwilling to be put off when the other woman pointed with her pen in the rough direction of the wall. Looking at it in confusion Sarah noticed a doorway that she was sure hadn¡¯t been there before.


    Moving over to it she hesitated at the door. She knew Thaddeus didn¡¯t like her and she didn¡¯t want to upset him more with rudeness but if she knocked first would he deny her permission to enter? Her mind felt fuzzy with confusion but she thought etiquette would matter to the sorcerer. Grasping the door handle and taking a deep breath she turned it quickly, knowing that if he hadn¡¯t wanted her to visit she probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to find the door in the first place.


    Thaddeus was sitting at a large desk in the middle of a normal-looking home office. Well, normal-looking if you considered gothic tones and the absence of any modern technology normal. There were thick books on the shelves though and she couldn¡¯t resist looking at their spines for the titles, surprised to see they were all blank. There was something odd about the office, it seemed covered in a haze of magic. She had a strange feeling that it had been set up for their discussion as a way to intimidate her but how could he have known she was coming?


    ¡®Feeling better?¡¯ Thaddeus asked as if he had expected her to walk into his office uninvited. Remembering that it was his house, and even his realm, she supposed there probably wasn¡¯t much that went on in it that he didn¡¯t know about.


    ¡®Yes, thank you,¡¯ Sarah answered politely, still awed by the power rolling off the man towards her. ¡®I¡¯m just still a bit weak from the ¡­ magic ¡­¡¯ the word on her tongue sounded strange.


    Thaddeus nodded sagely as if her comment made perfect sense and she supposed to him it would. Still, she wasn¡¯t buying into his concerned act and the condescending expression he wore wasn¡¯t helping her nerves. Remembering his insistence to get rid of her she hoped he wasn¡¯t thinking of kicking her out of his house now that the fight was over. She wasn¡¯t about to wait to find out and was quick to reassure him.


    ¡®And I will be heading home soon. Tom has already told me that he will take me home straight away now that the danger is over. But he¡¯s sleeping now,¡¯ she was rambling in her nervousness and bit down on her tongue to stop the words.


    ¡®I suppose that is why you¡¯re here, to talk about Tom?¡¯ Thaddeus questioned with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡®No,¡¯ Sarah took a deep breath to calm her nerves before continuing. ¡®I want to know about Catherine.¡¯


    She gave him a moment to regain his composure while she moved to sit uninvited in the chair opposite him. The feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu she experienced as she regarded him over the wooden desk made her realise she had probably been correct about their meeting place being intentionally picked to intimidate her. She could feel the same overwhelming surge of his power flowing over the narrow desk towards her and her fear wasn¡¯t helped by the strict, formal setting. This time she was the one wanting information though.


    ¡®What makes you think I would talk to you about Catherine?¡¯ his tone was terrifying in its harshness but Sarah found the answer falling off her tongue without much thought.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t think you would ¡­ but I hoped you would.¡¯


    Thaddeus paused, looking at her across the table and she didn¡¯t wait to be invited to ask her questions.


    ¡®Catherine brought me here, didn¡¯t she?¡¯


    She watched carefully as Thaddeus leaned back in his chair slowly. He seemed to contemplate her question, his eyes never leaving hers during the pause. Sarah allowed herself to be drawn in but only a little, she could control it better now.


    He nodded. ¡®I originally wove my spell on the portals of this realm so that Tom¡¯s mother and I were the only ones that could say who entered.¡¯


    ¡®But she was mortal how could she use magic?¡¯


    ¡®Once my spell was woven over the portals she didn¡¯t need to use magic to access them or to allow others to access them. But that¡¯s not what you are asking is it?¡¯


    Sarah shook her head. The fog was returning and she was having a hard time marshalling her thoughts into questions, let alone sorting out his answers. She gripped the arms of the chair tightly as she suddenly felt dizzy in the small room. Remembering Tom in the nice soft bed she knew she should have been resting still but instead she had thought she was strong enough to take on Thaddeus. She shook her head again but this time it was at herself.


    Suddenly she felt some of the fog ease inside her mind and she was sure some of the awesome power surrounding her eased as well. Looking at the man sitting opposite her in confusion she received no sign that he had given her the reprieve.


    ¡®Catherine is now a ghost,¡¯ Thaddeus explained as if nothing had changed in the room around them. She focused on his words intently. ¡®Much like the ghosts you encountered on your first night here, she now has some powers because of her current state.¡¯


    Sarah wondered how he knew about the ghosts that had attacked her but she didn¡¯t want to ask and get off-topic. Still, she felt violated that he knew so much about her time in his house.


    ¡®Why did she choose me? Am I magic?¡¯ Sarah half expected to be laughed at. Instead, the serious expression that faced her scared her for a moment. After the experience she¡¯d had with the book she was sure she didn¡¯t want to touch magic again.


    ¡®No.¡¯ the finality in his tone was stern but to her the word was comforting. ¡®Before you came here you had no claim to magic. But you were touched by magic while reading the book and you could be more sensitive towards it now.¡¯


    Sarah could hear something in his tone that the sensible part of her brain was begging her to pay attention to and she wondered what his message could mean. Still, she didn¡¯t think it would matter once she had returned to her normal non-magical life so she disregarded the message, focusing instead on the information she had come for.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know why she chose you,¡¯ Thaddeus continued. ¡®Maybe you were just in the right place at the right time, or maybe there was something about you that appealed to her. In some ways, you remind me of her.¡¯ The last was said almost wistfully and she felt goose-bumps rise on her arms in reply. She didn¡¯t think she was anything like the ghost she had encountered and didn¡¯t want to encourage Thaddeus to look for any imagined similarities between them.


    ¡®But why did she bring me here, was it so I could read that book?¡¯ Sarah¡¯s exasperation was showing in her questions. The answers she had received weren¡¯t making her feel any better about why she had been brought to this realm. She now knew where Tom got his evasive answering techniques from.


    ¡®Possibly.¡¯ The cryptic response nearly drove her mad but she found she had more pressing things to worry about as the fog started to consume her thoughts once again. It was stronger this time as it overpowered her and wormed its way into every corner of her brain while she was unable to stop it. The power increased in the room as well until it was a palpable thing, hot against her clammy skin as it pressed in on her.


    Thaddeus leaned forward in his chair as he continued, his voice softer and more melodious than before and somehow it made the consuming fog increase with each word. ¡®Maybe she knew from the start that the answers would be in the book and that she would need someone to speak the words for her. Or maybe she kept you around just in case. She might have needed someone to fight in a battle, someone expendable, a human. She brought you here, kept you safe and used you when the time was right. She might even have picked you hoping that you would be someone our son would keep safe for her.¡¯


    Suddenly Sarah recognised the fog for what it was; a compelling. Thaddeus had manipulated her into coming to him, letting her believe that it had been her idea and that she had been in control of the situation when she had just been his puppet. She found little contentment in the fact that he hadn¡¯t been able to control the object of her questions, which had been obvious by his reaction when she had mentioned Catherine. She wondered why he had bothered talking with her instead of just making her do whatever it was that he had summoned her for. Then she remembered his comment that she might be sensitive to magic now and realised he had been using the time to test how useful she could be to him.


    She knew that proving useful to Thaddeus wouldn¡¯t be such a great idea. His comment about Catherine keeping her around to be used when the time was right rang a little too loudly in her ears and she heard his intent. She didn¡¯t want to think about what he could do to her while he was waiting for the right time to use her. Sarah knew she should leave if she could but she had a terrible feeling that she wouldn¡¯t get far if she could even get out of the chair.


    Instead of attempting an escape, she focused her energy on words, there was one more question she had to ask. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t Tom know his mother¡¯s still here?¡¯ each word came out in a halting croak but the message must have shocked Thaddeus a little as she felt the fog inside and outside of her ease slightly.


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    Sarah knew she couldn¡¯t keep Catherine¡¯s presence from Tom. She didn¡¯t understand or like the secret that could cause him so much pain and she didn¡¯t want to be a part of it. If she was ever allowed to see him again, she would have to tell him. He needed to know about his mother¡¯s involvement in her time in this realm.


    ¡®I need to tell him ¡­¡¯ she echoed her thoughts aloud but the words dried up in her throat, replaced with a burning, painful sensation.


    Closing her mouth, she glared at Thaddeus with the little strength she had left, knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to offer any resistance to the powerful man. He hadn¡¯t moved at all but she knew he was the source of her pain. His immensely full eyes blazed into hers as he stared at her angrily. The burning intensified until she was unsure if she would ever be able to speak again.


    As her world began to condense with the pain, abruptly the powerful sensation was cut off and the fog mysteriously dispersed at the same time. Sarah swallowed as she turned to the figure standing in the doorway. Tears began to form in her eyes as she looked at Tom gratefully.


    ¡®Sarah, what are you doing here?¡¯ Tom¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t a reproach but it was heavily tinted with suspicion as he glanced from her to his father.


    She worked her throat as she tried to answer but Thaddeus spoke first.


    ¡®I was just thanking Sarah for her help,¡¯ his answer was so smooth that she didn¡¯t know how to start to counter it. ¡®She had some questions about magic but I told her there would be no lasting damage ¡­ this time.¡¯


    She opened her mouth to try to speak but the words wouldn¡¯t come. Thankfully by the look on Tom¡¯s face, he wasn¡¯t believing his father¡¯s innocent act. Tom opened the door wider and gestured for her to follow. After she unsteadily rose to her feet, they left the room wordlessly.


    As they moved away from Thaddeus the overwhelming feelings subsided but not the memory of them and Sarah knew that she would have to be very careful if her path ever crossed his again. It was something she hoped would never happen as she felt sure she wouldn¡¯t survive the experience, or if she did survive she definitely wouldn¡¯t come out of it the same. Still, she couldn¡¯t help wondering what Thaddeus had been like thirty-odd years ago when he was in love with a human woman and planning a family. The thought of Catherine made her wonder again why he would go to such lengths to cover her existence from his son.


    They had only moved a few steps from the office door before Sarah found herself once again in her bedroom. There was no sickening lurch this time or feelings of disorientation and she knew that Tom had teleported them, mid-step and without her knowledge. He dropped her hand as soon as they were safely ensconced in her room and she hoped he wasn¡¯t too angry at her for sneaking out. The performer¡¯s mask was back on his face, making it hard to tell.


    ¡®Tom, I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ she croaked, her voice still raw from the strangling she had endured.


    He nodded distractedly. ¡®Grab your things we have to leave now.¡¯


    Knowing he was right, still, she allowed herself a few moments as she fully accepted the situation. She was finally leaving. This was the ending of a small but meaningful section in her life, the end of her horrific adventure and the end of her association with paranormal beings; including Tom.


    ¡®Thank you, Tom,¡¯ she said quietly, hoping to convey all that she meant in the few words. She knew that going back to her normal life would come with some sacrifices.


    As she looked around the room, she quickly realised that there was nothing there for her to pack. She had arrived at the building with only the bridesmaid dress she had been wearing and that no longer existed. The pile of clothing from the vampire could stay for the next visitor to the room. She thought sadly about her lost and damaged possessions realising that it didn¡¯t matter, everything could be replaced. Getting home alive was all that was important.


    Sarah only wished that she could take Tom with her. She wished she could take him away from this strange realm with its monsters and evil sorcerers and wondered again how staying would affect him. Surely it wouldn¡¯t be long before his father tried to control him. Remembering Tom being compelled to come to this realm in the first place she knew his father had the power and the willingness to do it. She didn¡¯t think Thaddeus would be upfront about anything if he didn¡¯t want to be, his love of playing games went too deeply within him.


    She thought again about the secret Thaddeus was keeping from his son and recklessly turned to Tom. ¡®There¡¯s something I have to tell you ¡­¡¯ her words were cut off quickly but this time it wasn¡¯t due to a restriction in her throat but rather from a discreet knock on her door.


    Tom had looked at her with surprise at her comment but the look quickly vanished as he turned and moved towards the door, opening it a crack. She wasn¡¯t surprised by the interruption but had been startled to see Tom move as if he had been expecting it as well. Sarah could hear the tense conversation but wasn¡¯t able to make out any of the words spoken, although she should have been close enough to hear. With the door mostly closed she couldn¡¯t see who was on the other side but could tell by Tom¡¯s firm stance and clipped tones that he was intent on resisting the intruder¡¯s entrance into her room.


    Noticing Tom¡¯s expression as he closed the door, with the visitor still outside, she didn¡¯t have to be told who it was he had been talking to and realised she might have been a bit hasty earlier to celebrate their reconciliation. She hadn¡¯t needed to hear the words that accompanied those tones to know that Tom hadn¡¯t wanted Thaddeus in the room with them. Although he had spoken of a willingness to work with his father it was going to take a lot of work before they were on friendly terms.


    Sarah eyed Tom carefully as he moved deeper into the room. She wasn¡¯t afraid of him but suddenly found herself awkward around him, overcome by a state of awe. Of the two men, Thaddeus had always been the stronger one, Tom was weakened by his half-human side, and there should have been no way that Tom could have stopped his father from entering the bedroom if he had wanted to. A flicker of hope rose in her, unable to smother the awe, as she realised that maybe Tom would be alright around Thaddeus after all.


    As he turned to her, she expected some form of explanation about his father¡¯s visit but none was forthcoming.


    ¡®We have to go,¡¯ he said again but this time there was more urgency in his tone.


    Sarah followed him wordlessly out the door and towards the stairs. She didn¡¯t see Thaddeus in the hall but hadn¡¯t expected him to hang around once his message had been imparted, whatever it had been. She was glad that Tom hadn¡¯t told her, there was only so much she could take and all she knew now was that Tom was once again trying to keep her safe. She trusted him.


    She was glad when he took her hand as they quickly descended towards the gathered crowd, although she knew instinctively that they wouldn¡¯t give her any trouble. There were more of the creatures in the room this time but as they moved amongst them the creatures looked at her and Tom with something akin to reverence. She didn¡¯t know how much they knew of what had happened but it was clear to everyone in the room that something had changed. The monsters stood silently as they moved passed, staring at her with their soulless dark eyes but there wasn¡¯t a trace of the passionate hunger they had always displayed in her presence.


    Sarah wondered if she didn¡¯t attract them anymore. Thaddeus had said that she was different from being touched by magic and she wondered if the magic she had used had made her unappealing to the creatures, the same way they weren¡¯t attracted to Tom. Or maybe it was Tom that had them all frozen in their places. All the creatures had shown fear and awe of Thaddeus and his power, maybe Tom now had that same aura. She didn¡¯t want to waste any time finding out.


    She could see a few faces she recognised as she walked past. Delia was once again with her group of vampires and Sarah was pleased to see that the undead woman looked unhurt. Next, she picked out the young man that had helped to rescue her and Tom and had then inappropriately offered to turn her into a werewolf, and although she could see the effects of the fight on him, she was sure he would recover quickly. Her eyes scanned the room for the young changeling child and she breathed a sigh of relief at finding him in one piece. She wondered when she had started to care about monsters.


    Sarah wondered why Tom hadn¡¯t just teleported them from her room but as she approached the front door she figured it out. He wanted the monsters to know that she was leaving with him ¡­ for good this time. For once she was glad to be walking past the creatures, it was a fitting end to her time in the horrific building and an opportunity to prove how far she had come. Still, she was glad when they reached the front door and she was able to cross the threshold into freedom.


    Stepping out of the dim, musty house Sarah felt reborn in the warm sun. There was no sign of clouds or mist in the clear sky and she smiled at the thought of not having to worry about monsters that hid in clouds ever again. Looking back at the dark mansion she wished fleetingly that she could see Catherine, maybe staring out at her from one of the windows, as she still would have liked to find out why Tom¡¯s mother had picked her to enter this strange realm. Maybe one last look at the spirit might give her a clue, but she was disappointed as the blank fa?ade of the building stared back at her.


    Turning away from the building she felt elated to be leaving but still could not shake the tinge of sadness about the man she was leaving behind. He turned to her now.


    ¡®Ready?¡¯ he asked quietly.


    Sarah nodded knowing he was about to teleport her to the portal. The brief sensation was something she savoured as she wondered if she would ever experience it again after she was safely back home. Now that the fear was gone, she was able to enjoy his magic and even see the fun and beauty in it.


    Within seconds it was over and they stood together beside his car. After quickly retrieving her bags, Tom walked with her towards the edge of the realm. Sarah looked around for any sign that there was a portal in front of them, wondering if she could see it now that she had been ¡°touched by magic¡± but she couldn¡¯t see anything unusual in the environment around her. There wasn¡¯t even a shimmer of light to tell her that her realm was only a step away.


    ¡®Where to?¡¯ Tom asked her and she remembered that this portal could take her wherever she wanted as long as she was with him.


    ¡®I just want to go home,¡¯ she answered with finality, amazed at the relief those few words gave her. She had been on an adventure that she had never asked for and now nothing sounded more wonderful than to be back in her nice quiet little home and returning to her normal life.


    Tom nodded and they stepped through the portal together. She clung to his free hand with both of hers as they moved forward, not wanting to get separated and end up in an entirely different realm, this time without his help. As they arrived on the other side, she noticed that things looked remarkably the same as the realm they had been in. She wondered if there had been a problem with the portal again but there was something deep within her that told her she had returned to her home. She didn¡¯t recognise the area and had no idea where she was but she knew it was her realm.


    Without comment, Tom magically transported them again and Sarah suddenly found herself outside her simple house in her quiet street. She had never been so happy to see a building before in her life. Wordlessly she walked towards her front door, still holding Tom¡¯s hand so he had no choice but to follow her, and as she approached, she noticed the door open as if of its own accord. She smiled at Tom and the magic he used so simply, if he stuck around, she would never have to worry about losing her keys again.


    Entering the house, she felt a profound flash of relief course through her body and realised that it was the first time she had been able to fully relax in days. Seeing the bright sun beaming in through her open curtains, flooding the rooms with light, made a smile of pure joy spring to her lips. Turning to Tom she wanted to share the moment but as she looked at him her words stilled as the complexity of her emotions overcame her. She wanted to thank him for keeping her safe in those impossible situations, tell him that the experiences they had shared mattered to her and ask if she would ever see him again, but in the reality of her home and of her realm she knew there were no words.


    Instead, she reached up and kissed him, hoping to impart all that she felt, and was pleased when his arms encircled her as he kissed her. Slowly the kiss deepened and gradually she became aware of pleasant tiredness overcoming her. It was as if her body and mind were completely relaxing to a state of absolute bliss. As he broke away, she felt herself falling lightly into a peaceful state of sleep.


    Tom gently caught Sarah as she fell asleep in his arms. Picking her up, he made his way to the bedroom, tucking her into the modest-sized bed in the brightly lit room. He paused for a moment, looking down at her as she rested peacefully before silently removing himself from her bedroom. He hesitated before leaving the house, taking some time to place a warding spell around the building to keep her safe although he knew that she wasn¡¯t in danger anymore. As Tom teleported back to the portal he smiled.


    Sarah awoke unsure of the time, the date or even what day it was but there was one thing she knew instantly; she was home. Looking around her cheerful bedroom, white furniture with splashes of colour here and there, she smiled to herself and wiggled her toes playfully against the light bedding she was tucked up into. She had woken from a dream filled with monsters and scary buildings and seeing the normality of her room made her feel safe. She reminded herself that it had only been a dream.


    As she arose, she noticed her suitcase placed near the door and thought she must have left it there after returning from the airport. Moving over to her bag she noticed the mobile phone she had recently purchased sitting innocently on top, complete and intact. A quick search produced more items that her confused mind told her should have been broken, damaged or missing altogether. There was a fog over her memories that she couldn¡¯t shift, the dream and reality blurring together.


    Sarah thought about her recent trip. She couldn¡¯t be entirely sure that she had made it to the hotel after her sister¡¯s wedding but she couldn¡¯t remember exactly what had happened instead. She thought she had made her flight and arrived safely back home, with nothing more exciting happening than being stopped for a bag check at the airport, but other memories claimed otherwise. Still, she could almost believe that nothing unusual had happened on her trip. She could almost believe it. Almost!


    It was better than her mind being full of hazy, odd memories that in the harshness of reality seemed impossible and made her feel foolish for even contemplating as real.


    Making her way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine would help clear some of the fogginess left-over from her wild dreams and would help her put the finishing touches on the story she was trying to convince herself was real, Sarah suddenly noticed something out of place on her dining table. Walking over she smiled with resigned joy as she recognised the worn cards, stark against the dark wood of her tabletop. She ran her fingertips gently over the fanned-out deck, not disturbing any, as she noticed that they were all lying face down except one. Her smile deepened as she retrieved the only card that faced her; the queen of hearts.


    Sarah ran her thumb over the picture on the card, knowing that it didn¡¯t matter how crazy the past few days had been she would never forget or be able to convince herself that it had never happened. The story she had been trying to construct vanished. An illusion that was broken as the reality, however impossible, took firm roots in her mind. It had been real. As Sarah looked again at the cards, she knew that her reality would never again be the same and that her life would never be without magic.


    The End