The air snapped in front of her and the candles blew out. She opened her eyes and saw her brother watching her. A flash of surprise crossed his face but was quickly replaced with an angry frown.

“What did you do?” he asked her angrily.

Madison bit her lip, not really knowing. Matt twisted her hand in his, making her palm face forward.

“I thought you didn’t practice,” he accused.

“I don’t.”

“She’s lying,” one of the women interrupted. “Couldn’t you feel the white magic surrounding her? She did a spell.”

Matt laughed, still looking at her. “You were always full of surprises.” He reached behind him and held up a shiny silver dagger. “But then, so am I.”

He sliced a line down the middle of her palm. Madison cried out as he squeezed, causing the blood to flow faster. He turned her hand down and let the blood drop onto the floor.

As the drops of blood hit the scarred hardwood, they started to smoke. Madison watched as the smoke rose and circled in front of her. She felt it enter through her nose and fill her body.

She tried to move away, but Matt still held her hand, and the more she fought the faster the smoke invaded her body.

Madison could feel the change. She became dizzy and started to cough. Matt started to chant again, and she could feel the smoke inside her responding to it. Then, as if she was in a fog, she felt herself slip away.

Chapter Nine

Madison knew something wasn’t right. She could see Matt kneeling in front of her, arms raised and chanting. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried to move. For the first time since she entered the circle, he wasn’t holding her, but her body wouldn’t cooperate.

She couldn’t turn her head and look around. She was helpless and could just stare at the man who had once been her best friend. Matt lowered his arms and opened his eyes, the deep black depths penetrating through her chilling her body.

“All you had to do was follow directions,” he told her.

Madison couldn’t respond and he smiled, amused. “Sucks, doesn’t it?”

If she could have panicked, she would have. Instead she just watched as he pierced the tip of his finger and added his blood to where hers had landed. Even though they were inside, she felt the wind raise her hair off her shoulders.

The door slammed open behind her, but she couldn’t turn her head. The others around the circle scrambled away, right before a large grey-and-white wolf flew through the room.

Madison knew it was Tom but couldn’t call out to him. He cornered the others against the back wall as movement to her right alerted her. She had to wait until he moved into her eye line, but she could have collapsed with relief as Dante stood next to the circle.

Dante tried to walk between the candles but stopped. He looked at her, confused.

“Sorry, vampire, but you can’t get in here,” Matt told him, laughing.

Dante slammed his fist in the air, meeting the invisible barrier.

“ Madison, are you okay?” he asked, clearly frustrated.

Madison couldn’t speak or even shake her head. She didn’t know what was wrong with her.

“She’s just fine,” Matt answered for her before she felt the dagger he’d used to cut her hand at her neck.

She watched as Dante changed in front of her. His eyes began to glow a moment before his teeth lengthened and he hissed.

“Bad vampire,” Matt taunted. “But I have to say I was expecting you.”

He moved his free hand, and the curtains in the room opened. Dante hissed again and covered his face. As he retreated to a dark corner, Matt laughed.

Commotion echoed through the room until Madison saw the wolf land hard beside the circle. A dart in his side showed how ready they really had been.

“Now you have to make a decision. Help me and I’ll let you all go. Don’t and I’ll kill both your lovers and your friend.”

Madison didn’t have a choice. She would have died for Angie, and she would die to make sure Dante and Tom were okay.”

“I take it you’ll do what I want you to now.” He moved the knife down. “Now I need more blood so where should I take it from?”

Madison managed to get her eyes closed. She didn’t want to know. She felt the cut on the same hand he’d opened earlier. As the blood left her body, she felt her limbs start to tingle.

Madison moved her fingers.

“Pretty neat huh? As I drain your body of blood, you will slowly regain possession of your body.” He laughed next to her ear. “But I’ll let you in on a secret. You won’t get it all back before I have all your blood.”

The blade sliced into her leg. Her hoarse scream echoed in her head.

“Hurry, the vampire’s trying to get loose.” Another voice came from behind her.

Madison focused on her body, trying to bring it back to her faster. She ignored the next cut and the next. She brought a picture in her head of a page in the book she remembered seeing. It had to do with healing.

Her grandmother had never let her practice that one, saying she wasn’t ready, but that had only made her want it that much more. She had memorised that spell when she was only twelve.

A sharp pain in her right side had her flinching, but she refocused and chanted the spell over and over in her head. She felt heat flow through her hands and legs.

Madison waited until Matt moved closer to her hand. When he was within reach, she opened her eyes. She could hear Dante struggling behind her, and she could see Tom’s leg twitch. It was now or never.

Before Matt could cut her again, she grabbed his wrist. He jerked his arm in surprise, but Madison was ready for him. She elbowed him, causing his head to snap back. Breaking out of his hold, she stood and stumbled to the edge of the candles.

She knocked one over, causing the flame to spread and dance away. Madison glanced down at the fire and stepped away, knocking into another one.

She heard a yowl and turned in time to see Tom stand on his four legs. He growled and, Madison looked around to the fast spreading fire. The others in the room backed away before making a run for the door. Dante screamed in rage and grabbed for her, lifting her from the flame.

“Angie,” she whispered, her throat raw.

Dante pulled her over to her friend and easily crushed the cuffs that held her. Angie clawed at the necklace, drawing more blood. Dante managed to push aside her hands and remove it.

Madison jumped as she felt something touch her leg. The soft fur that came in contact with her skin had her relaxing quickly. She buried a hand in his neck.

“My heroes.”

Dante picked up Angie in his arms and held her close to his chest.. Using Tom as a brace, Madison started forward as well. Before they could make it more than a few steps, Matt blocked their way.

“Matt,” Madison cried, wobbling on her feet.

“This isn’t finished,” he said, holding the knife up. “I haven’t come this far to let you ruin everything.”

The room spun and Madison gripped Tom’s fur to ground herself. “Let it go.” she told her brother tiredly.

He screamed and dove for her. Tom lunged but not before the dagger sliced her one last time. As Madison fell, the last thing she saw was Tom’s teeth around her brother’s neck.