Anya Bast: Witch Heart

Thomas looked at Isabelle, another blast of magick came from beyond the doorway, shaking the room.

"Why not? It wouldn't be the first time it's been broken," Isabelle yelled over the din with a one-shouldered shrug.

The room shook again and they all grabbed hold of the desk. After the earthquake-like tremors had passed, Adam picked up Thomas's office chair, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window and threw it.

Glass shattered and rained to the floor below.

"That was not subtle, but it was effective," murmured Isabelle beside Claire.

That was Adam.

Adam picked up long staff-like thing — Thomas had mentioned it was an antique walking stick once — and used it to get rid of any shards of glass still remaining. Then he grabbed a throw blanket draped over one the chairs in the sitting area and laid it over the sill.

Adam held out a hand to Claire. "Come on, let's go."

She went to him and he helped her out of the window. Thomas and Isabelle followed close behind. Another blast of power rocked the house.

In the distance they could see Coven witches spilling from the building, some coughing and having trouble breathing.

Houses, the Coven! Two demons in a fight could level the place.

Claire glanced up at the second floor. "What about Theo?" She stopped short. "He's injured from the battle at the cabin. He won't be able to get out."

"Trust me, Theo is capable of fending for himself even when he's injured," said Thomas, coming up beside her. "But I'm going in the front to help anyone else who might need it. Adam, get Claire to safety." He walked toward the building.

"You aren't going anywhere without me, Thomas," said Isabelle, striding after him.

Adam pulled Claire toward the heavily forested land surrounding the Coven. "Come on, I want you far away from here. Kai is probably in there looking for you and I don't want you anywhere nearby."

They headed away from the Coven, ending up on the far side of the building near the conservatory. It was a beautiful morning, calm. Such a contrast to the battle being waged within the structure.

A woman holding a baby appeared on the other side of the glass within the conservatory. She was coughing, probably from the smoke produced by the fires from the battle of the daaemons. Blasts of air magick puffed the smoke away, but it was overpowering her at times.

Claire pointed. "Mira's in there."

Adam followed the direction of her finger, focused and said, "Oh, shit. We have to get them out of there." He ran to the door leading out into the yard, but it was locked.

Mira caught sight of them and screamed something unintelligible, waving her free hand in desperation. No, get back! I'm all right! The words sounded in the air around them, disorienting Claire for a moment. Powerful air magick. Kai is in here with me.

Something made a sound behind Mira and she turned toward it. Through the smoke. Claire could make out a hulking figure growing closer to Mira and the baby in her arms.

"Fuck!" Adam drew a burst of fire and melted the lock on the door. "Claire, get out of here. Run! I'm going to help Mira, but you have to go now!"

Too late, even though she never would've run anyway.

Kai spotted her and came striding toward the door. Mira clutched baby Eva to her with one arm and drew power, directing it at Kai, but he deflected it with a wave of his hand and kept coming. Mira stumbled backward and nearly fell. The cries of her child reached Claire's ears as Adam opened the door and rushed within.

Adam came in with all guns blazing, just as he had at the hospital. He knew how to fight the daaemon now and he gave Kai no quarter, sending up a white-hot wall of flame that made the Atrika roar in frustration. When Adam was angry, his power seemed greater and he was livid now, probably out of fear for Mira and her child, who were inching toward the door.

Mira hadn't given up, though, and was lending her air magick to making Adam's fire even hotter and stronger.

Kai bellowed again and Claire watched in anguish as the gorgeous plants and flowers in the conservatory caught fire, curled up from the heat and died. Kai stepped through the wall of flame, letting it sear his skin into blackened strips that Claire knew would soon heal. Fire dripped from his clothes and extinguished in curling bursts of smoke.

Thankfully, Mira extended her hand and removed the air feeding the fire. It died quickly in a rush of hot air that blew Claire's hair around her face.

Kai fixed his gaze on her and Adam drew his sword. He'd strapped it on almost as soon as the name Rue had passed Thomas's lips that morning. The soft whisper of copper against the leather sheath sounded loud in the suddenly quiet air. He held it at the ready.

Her own copper blade lay against her skin, hooked on the waistband of her jeans. It was her last resort if one of the demons got so close she could cut him. So far magick had been more effective, but there was always a first time.

"Come here, Claire. I'm sick of chasing you," said Kai in a low voice. He spoke in Aemni. "You know you've got nowhere to hide. Wherever you go, we'll hunt you, and you know better than any aeamon the extent of our patience. Mine is at an end."

Claire's rage grew in a swell of power within her. Gathering her magick fast and hard, she drew four threads and wove them together in a heavy chain of force. Then she took that chain and smacked Kai with it face on. He fell backward, onto the floor, and bowed his head, shaking it. His burnt skin was already healing and Claire could see that his fangs were extended and his eyes glowed a deep, murderous red.

"Don't make me hurt you, little girl," said Kai in a low voice without looking at her. "More importantly to you, don't make me hurt your friends."

Claire stepped forward. "Mira, get out of here. Go now!"

Holding her whimpering child in her arms, Mira didn't hesitate.

Kai laughed. "If I want her and her baby, she can't hide from me. Come with us, Claire, and you guarantee your friends, all of them" — he glanced at Adam—"will live."

Adam unclenched his jaw long enough to tell Claire, "I don't know what he's saying, Claire, but don't let him manipulate you."

Claire switched to English. "I'm through being manipulated. I'm through being scared." She took a step toward Kai. "I can wield my magick at you directly now. I learned how. How about a fight, Kai? Just you and me? Winner take all."

"Claire!" Adam shouted at her. "What are you doing?"

Claire took another step forward. "I'm not being afraid anymore."

"Did you go straight to stupid? Get out of here!"

"No. I'm not running."

Kai took a step toward her. "If you want a fight, Claire, I'll give you one."

Immediately, Claire dropped down and rolled, gathering her power and sending it at Kai in a punch to his solar plexus. The Atrika went down with a thud and screeched out a battle cry, an animalistic sound that Claire had hoped in all her years on Eudae she would never hear.

Kai rolled to his side and shot at her. She managed to use her magick to throw up a shield — just like a demon — but the blast still rocked her to her core. Scrambling to her feet, she darted into the still-smoldering foliage, trying to draw Kai away from Adam as far as she could.

Her feet pounded on the soft earth, trampling plants and carrying her over bridges and across streams. She had the advantage; she knew the conservatory and Kai didn't.

Plus, her magick felt stronger here, lighter and easier to control. Even when she threaded the elements together to form the pseudo-demon magick, it felt stronger because of the carefully balanced environment.

She had an advantage. She had to keep telling herself that.