Callie - An Enchantress Novel - Book 1

Chapter 34

First light arrived all too soon for Callie who woke with a stiff neck and aching limbs from sleeping curled on the armchair. Sidney was much worse for wear. When Callie had called her to the underworld her body had collapsed where it stood as her consciousness left it. Her head struck the corner of the coffee table to leave a huge bump right in the middle of her forehead - about the size of a large egg and it looked a lot like one too.

As Sidney opened her eyes, Brian and Ash stepped back from their study of the bump and hastily held out a bag of juice for each of them. Sidney slowly rose to her feet before snatching hers with a groan. The sudden movement caused pain to radiate through her head and neck. Several vertebrae in her neck cracked when she rolled her head around her shoulders. She used a fang to pierce the bag and squeezed the contents into her mouth as if she were dying of thirst. Ironically, for all the gulping and noise she made, not a single drop escaped her lips. When she was done, she ran her tongue all around her teeth, removing every trace.

"Mmm good stuff." She sighed, patting her stomach and winking at Brian who had been watching her every move. His cheeks took on delightful rosy tinge at being caught staring.

Callie looked back and forth between the two and noticed for the first time how Sidney seemed to preen and flick her hair more. She threw glances at him from the periphery of her sight line to check him out - generally flirting when he was nearby. I'm so going to set these two up if we ever get out of this mess, she vowed to herself and Sidney shot her a grin. "Is Sam up yet?" she asked, between sips of her own juice.

Brian was too busy watching Sidney stretch every muscle in her body. Starting with her arms that she pushed forward until her interlaced fingers cracked, she followed up with stretching them over head with an arch to her back; her breasts moving to within inches of Brian's face. Finishing with leg stretches, where she practically did the splits. She pretended the entire time not to notice his perusal.

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen getting his own breakfast," Ash replied.

Callie linked her arm through his and steered him from the room to leave Brian and Sidney alone. She closed the door behind her. "No time like the present," she murmured, dragging Ash through to the kitchen to find all the others sitting round the table. "Sidney will be in shortly," she told no one in particular before claiming her seat on Sam's left side.

******

"Why is it that a day will fly by when you don't want it to?" Callie asked Sam late that afternoon.

The final preparations had been made for the unpleasantness that was too soon to arrive. Stephan checked the flight times out of the Philippines and declared that Demetrious would be with them sometime after 6.30pm. Leaving just over an hour to go.

Lucien found a spell to allow him to observe the meeting as long as it happened in the front parlour where the mirror Callie charmed sat high above the mantle. It would be like looking in through a two-way mirror. He would be able to see and hear the meeting and maybe to advise Sidney through the mind link they had established during the visit in the underworld. There was nothing more any of them could do, but wait.

The sky began to darken earlier than usual in anticipation of the coming battle. When the deafening clap of thunder sounded through the otherwise still evening, they knew the time had come to face their fears. Their enemies, Demetrious and Morag, were close.

Four cars rolled in through the gates, their lights sweeping the front of the house as they rounded to park by the door. Sam made his way from the parlour on seemingly automatic pilot. He shook himself in preparation before swinging the heavy door open with a fake smile pasted in place.

"Welcome to my home, Demetrious, I trust you had a pleasant journey?" He stepped back to allow the Master entrance. His entourage of three men, probably shifters he controlled, closely followed him. Morag threw him a look that promised he would suffer at her hands if he didn't play ball. "Callie is waiting in the front parlour as you instructed, Morag." He closed the door again and led the way. "We are truly honoured with your presence, Demetrious, but I fear Morag may have provided false information to bring you here."

Demetrious raised his eyebrows at Morag. "Sire, I swear what I say is true. She can control them," she hastened to assure him.

"We shall see." Demetrious' eyes scanned the room as he followed Sam inside. He missed nothing.

Sidney and Callie rose from their seats and curtsied as he entered. Sidney had assured her it was entirely necessary where Demetrious was concerned. He was a stickler for the old ways and insisted on tradition.

Callie felt ridiculous curtsying in jeans.

"Please sit," Sam offered, pouring the two vampire guests and himself a drink.

"Shall we dispense with the pleasantries and idle chitchat and get down to the reason for my visit?" Demetrious asked. He failed to wait for a reply. "Do not waste my time trying to deny me what I wish to know. You will only suffer more in the end."

"What is it you would have of us?" Sam asked.

"Give me the girl and the knowledge of how to control her and I will let you live to see another sunrise."

"We still don't understand why you want her. She can't do what Morag claims," Sam denied, moving to stand by Callie's side of the sofa.

Demetrious sighed and shook his head. "Fine. We shall have proof." He nodded to one of the men who arrived with them. "Carlos, bring in Sophia."

Sam and Sidney shared a shocked glance at the mention of Sam's former girlfriend - the one Callie had bitten when they had quarrelled over Sam as he lay injured at the Seven Tower City blood bank. Carlos dragged Sophia into the room by her arms and flung her at Callie's feet.

Sophia shot scared glances at the faces watching her from all around the room before finally settling on Callie. "Oh my God, is it really you?" she sobbed, rising to her knees to hug Callie. "I can't believe I finally found you. I missed you so much. Why did you leave me?"

Callie pulled Sophia's arms from around her neck and forced her off her lap with a panicked look at Sam. All their plans were crumbling around them. They had all forgotten about Sophia with everything else that had been going on.

Demetrious was in front of Callie in flash. He stared into her eyes. "You will do as I say," he commanded. "Make her change forms."

"Erm...No," Callie replied, shocking everyone, including herself, at her ability to deny Demetrious' compulsion.

Sam took advantage of Demetrious' distraction and flew at the Master from across the room. The collision sent them both to the floor. Demetrious was too quick and spun in mid air so that Sam landed under him. He grabbed him by the throat and squeezed.

"Tell me how to control her or I rip off your head and feed it to Carlos," he said with a growl in Sam's face.

"No," Sam croaked out. "Never."

"I have to drink your blood!" Callie screamed at him. "Please, let him go."

"Is that it? You drink my blood and I can control you?" He squeezed tighter on Sam's neck.

Sidney fell to her knees, begging for Sam's life. "Please Master, let him go. She lies! If she drinks your blood, she will control you."

The mirror over the mantle rocked as a loud roar echoed through the room. You stupid, stupid woman. What have you done? The mirror glinted and crashed to the floor. Shards embedded themselves in Carlos and Morag, who were standing close by.

"Spare us and I will tell you how." Sidney wept at Demetrious' feet.