“No, it’s because that wasn’t my mom,” he bit through his teeth furiously and kicked the wall of the house.
“But you —”
He covered my mouth. “Don’t you think it s strange? I mean, it was all so easy. We just walked up and there she was with all the information. And a plan.” I waited for him to remove his hand. “It’s strange, but I think you’re overreacting.”
“When the Banshee was coming downstairs,” he explained quickly. “I thought she looked like someone else but I couldn’t place who. I just realized who it was. It was the Banshee I met when I got the address for this place.”
“Okay…” I pressed my back against the house, blending into the shadows the best I could. “But why does that matter? I mean, she looked like your mom, didn’t she?”
“Yeah, but Banshees can change their looks,” he said. “They can transform into someone else.”
“So you don’t think that was your mother?” I asked. “But why would another Banshee do that?
It doesn’t make sense.”
76
“I m not sure.” He lightly touched my arm. “But I think we need to leave until we know for sure. We can’t just go back and hope I’m not right. That’d be stupid.” I wasn’t sure if he was being honest, or just trying to stop me from taking the poison. “I think we should —”
Nearby, a set of garbage cans tumble over, rattling the air. A dog howled at the moon, bright and full, causing a sputtered of dogs to join in. We flinched and Alex whirled, knife swinging, ready to kill anyone who ventured to move in on us.
“Well, look at you two. Hiding out, like two frightened little kids.” Laylen’s tall, pale silhouette slid out from the shadows and into the light of the porch.
“Son of a,” Alex muttered, aiming the knife at Laylen.
A grin crept up on Laylen s face as he showed us his fangs. “I thought you’d be happy. I’m finally what you always saw me as, a killer.”
Alex began to speak, but a voice rose above his.
“Maybe he always saw you for what you were supposed to be.” Aislin appeared out of nowhere, golden hair sparkling in the moonlight. An eerie grin strained at her lips as she stroked Laylen s shoulder. “What we were both supposed to be.” Their forearms were marked with a triangle outlining a red, Greek-like symbol the Mark of Malefiscus. It stained their hands red and made them grin in a way that shot a shiver down my spine.
“Get us out of here,” Alex hissed, but I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off them. They were evil now and I knew they would hurt us. And where was Aleesa? She was marked too, the last time I’d seen her. Had they lost her?
“She’s fixated by me,” Laylen said, sweeping his hair back. “She’s remembering the bite and 77
how good it felt.”
I touch my neck, memories iridescent in my mind. “I think…”
“Gemma.” Alex put a hand under my chin, and the nick of his skin ripped me out of my daze.
“Get us out of here.”
This time I shut my eyes and pictured the first place that came to mind. We’d escaped there before. Viva Las Vegas. But something was stuck blocking me from going. I opened my eyes and caught Laylen and Aislin swapping knowing smiles.
“They have praesidium on them,” I whispered. “There’s nothing I can do. Unless we run.” Alex’s fighting face elevated to the challenge. He spun and within seconds, his body rammed into Laylen’s. They collided to the frost-bitten ground, turning into an enormous snowball rolling around as they threw punches and cracked knuckles at each other. My gaze zipped to Aislin, who was watching me with cruelty in her eyes.
“Sucks doesn’t it.” She twirled her hair around her finger carelessly as she took lazy steps toward me. “Feeling so vulnerable, yet you can’t do anything about it.” I got the feeling that this was much deeper than just the Mark of Malefiscus.
“I had to sit there and watch you bat your eyes at him like some kind of lovesick girl.” Her high-heeled boots clicked against the ice. “Watch the way he looked at you until it almost drove me mad.” She was right in front of me, our eyes locked, waiting for the right time to make the first move. “But those days are almost over. Soon you’ll be gone dead, rotting in the ground.”
She’s not herself. “Aislin, you don t have to do this. We’re friends.”
“Friends?” she whispered and then her hands ignited.
78
Without hesitation, I attack, slamming into her and sending us to the ground. Her hands burnt out when they hit the snow. I landed on top of her, not sure what to do. This was Aislin, mark or no mark, and I didn’t want to hurt her. But then she got this look in her eyes, like she would do anything to hurt me. As her hand lifted, I smacked my knuckles hard into her cheek.
“Sorry,” I apologized like an idiot.
She laughed, throwing her head at me and flipping us to the side. My head smack the ground, spots of snow stinging my eyes. I reached for her coat pocket, knowing that was where the praesidium had to be. But she bit my hand and I let out a painful cry. More garbage cans toppled over as Alex and Laylen rolled farther away.
My distraction allowed her to bit me again, cutting my skin this time. And that was it. I’d had enough. I clocked her again, this time not holding back. While she was recovering, I tore her pocket open, the purple marble of praesidium bouncing onto the ice. She grabbed my hand as I reach for it. I slide my legs over, nudging it with my shoe, and watched as it barreled for Laylen and Alex.
Then I shoved away from Aislin, trying to get to Alex, so I could take us away from here. But Aislin grasped my ankle, flinging me back down to the ground. I braced myself against the ice, turning over in time to see a ball of light moving for me.
I didn’t think.
I just went.
79
Chapter 18
(Gemma)
Somehow I made it away, landing on the checker boarded living room floor. But I wasn’t alone. A crazed Aislin was still gripping onto my leg, her eyes wide and murderous.
“I have to take you to him,” she said, dazed and rabid. “I have to take you to him.” Her nails dug into my arms.
“Adessa!” I screamed, praying the witch was home and wasn’t inked with the mark.
By the scared look on Aislin s face, I was guessing she didn’t. Aislin knew she was in trouble.
But the house was as still as a statue and she relaxed, her fear replaced by delight.
“Guess she’s not home.” Aislin leapt to her feet. “Duratus.” I scurried to my feet, but the giant ball of light hurtled into my chest. At first, I thought she’d taken my life like the last witch. But then my muscles went rigid and I lost all control of my body. I crumpled to the black and white tiled floor, my head clipping the corner of the apothecary table. My brain sung and my body throbbed.