Extraits

I am going to perform a reanimation spell now. I’ll need your help,’ Adaryn said, looking at my aunt and Franny.

‘A reanimation spell? Surely not?’ Franny said.

‘It is not what you may think. It is grey magic I suppose, as I’ll be using the same spell the Voodoo queen used to reanimate the dead earlier this evening. However in this case Brittany is not dead… yet, and I’ll be using her own blood. It’s the only way,’ she muttered, reassuring Franny and my aunt, who quickly paced the room.

The black candles were brought nearer and Adaryn began quietly chanting over Brittany, placing her hands firmly in several places along her chest and pressing down.

‘Now, I’m going to let her body absorb the blood, and when I say so I want you all to join me in pouring our energy into her,’ Adaryn said, picking up the container of blood, making both Seth and I wince slightly as the scent wafted dangerously around the enclosed space. I now knew why India had to get out. 

« Chapter One

I had expected the summons to come sooner, and presumed the high court would be held in London, but they surprised me on both counts. Three months had passed since my escape from London and Alex’s death; since I’d lost my new friend Eva, and with her Daniel, the man who had saved me from death six months previously by turning me into a vampire. He had accepted me for all my quirks, and I’d slowly but surely fallen in love with him.

Those three months had passed in a whirlwind of grief, pain and unexpected friendship. At first I’d simply refused to believe Sebastian – the vampire leader of the Northern district – when he had confirmed that Eva and Daniel hadn’t made it out of Cole’s club when the null bomb went off. The null bomb is an extremely efficient, but deadly way of instantly clearing up any magical or supernatural evidence. After all humans didn’t and mustn’t know of our existence, so if something went wrong the cleaners came in and destroyed the evidence before word leaked out. Its effectiveness lies in its ability to turn anything, or anyone remotely magical or supernatural to dust... We were given a ten second warning but somehow, and I still didn’t get how, Daniel and Eva never made it out. Cole, the depraved southern vampire leader and several of his cronies didn’t get out either, which in my eyes was excellent, but due to Cole’s royal standing decreed that the whole nasty thing be picked over in court. « I’d already given a full and way too lengthy statement, explaining my reasons for going to London, explaining who I’d met, who had kidnapped me and all the nasty little details that had followed, weeks ago. Luke had also given his statement, as had Sebastian and my new friend Brittany, who was now standing in the doorway to my room, hands on hips. Her evidence had been vital as she had witnessed the whole sordid plan come to fruition and was also able to vouch for Daniel’s innocence regarding several human murders in the weeks before.

‘Come on already, we’re going to be late. Luke is waiting downstairs... Jess, are you okay?’ she asked.

I nodded and smiled, levering myself off the bed and taking a glance around the room, before picking up my precious book of shadows and placing it under the loose floorboard beneath my bed. How long would Sebastian let me stay here, in Daniel’s house? What would happen to it… to me? Everybody wanted a piece of me, but Luke and Daniel were the only people I felt I could trust and now Daniel was gone.

« Hey you, don’t you want to wear something a bit more…’ Luke said, as I made it downstairs.

‘A bit more what, Luke?’ I said.

‘Erm… no it’s fine, you just… Well you look a bit…’

‘What? »