The Dying Light (Bloodwitch #1)

‘Which coven sent you?’

’No one sent me.’

The interrogation cell was a small, windowless, low-ceilinged room, the walls and floors of which were stained with blood that had long since dried.

‘Why did you attempt to infiltrate the Castle?’

’I didn’t.’

Charlie hung suspended from a beam. His arms had been shackled above his head, so that his toes just touched the ground. Dragomir stalked around him in slow, leisurely circles, slapping the flat of a hunting knife against his open palm as he went.

‘You’ll need a muzzle if you’re planning to go anywhere near his mouth,’ Faulkner warned. A wicked smile played around his lips as he surveyed Charlie from where he stood, leaning against the wall nearest the door. ‘Consider me the voice of experience – this dog bites.’

‘Is that so?’ Dragomir made an unconvinced noise in his throat. ‘Where is the witch?’

’I don’t know.’

Charlie hoped she was far, far away by now.

‘It doesn’t have to be like this, kid,’ Faulkner said, his smile fading as he resettled himself against the wall with a sigh. ‘You don’t have to protect her. Why not save yourself all this trouble and tell us the truth? Don’t you remember? You always have a choice.’

Charlie barked out a hollow laugh. ‘Like you always gave me a choice, you mean?’

Dragomir’s eyes narrowed. ’Who are you?’

When Charlie did not answer, Dragomir backhanded him across the face. ‘Don’t feel like talking?’ he asked, a lazy smirk shifting his features, as Charlie tasted blood in his mouth. ‘Let’s see if I can change your mind.’

Charlie sensed Dragomir approach him from behind, and his shoulders tensed. He heard the sound of chains jangling above him. A moment later, he dropped to the floor. His knees hit the ground hard as his hands were wrenched behind his back and zip-tied together at the wrists. Dragomir had unshackled him from the beam, and was now crouched over him, one hand on the back of Charlie’s t-shirt, the other on the waistband of his jeans. Faulkner made a noise of mild interest.

‘I’m sure you can guess what I’m planning to do if you don’t give me what I want …’

‘Fuck you!’ Charlie snarled, thrashing desperately as he tried to kick out behind him.

’I’d much rather fuck you,’ Dragomir growled into his ear, his hand coming to rest on the small of Charlie’s back. ‘And what’s this?’

‘Get your hands off me!’

Charlie fought to edge out of Dragomir’s grip, but it was useless. Dragomir sat back on Charlie’s legs, keeping him still. When he fell silent, Charlie knew what he was reading.

’To the victor, the spoils.’ Dragomir traced the raised letters of the brand along Charlie’s skin as he spoke, sending a violent shudder along Charlie’s spine. ‘Your handiwork, is it?’

’Get off me!’

Twisting around in fury, Charlie knew from the look of raw excitement on Dragomir’s face that he had not imagined the pleasure in the soldier’s voice. Faulkner appeared to have gone up in the Witch Hunter’s estimation.

’Now I know who you are …’ Dragomir grabbed a fistful of Charlie’s hair, wrenching his head back as he pushed down on the brand with his other hand. ‘I can see you’re used to putting up a fight.’ He reached for the hunting knife, lying on the ground beside him.

’Get the fuck off me,’ Charlie whispered, his body seizing up. ‘I – I don’t want this …’

‘I know.’ Dragomir let out a low chuckle in his ear. ‘That’s what makes you so hot.’

‘Don’t disappoint him, Charlie,’ Faulkner murmured. ‘You know you can take it.’

‘What in the nine hells is going on here?’

The door burst open, banging off the wall, and Charlie saw Vasco Kovalev standing on the threshold. His dark eyes travelled from Dragomir to Charlie as a look of understanding passed over his pale face. His rifle was strapped to his back. One of his hands was clenched around a bundle of black material, while the other rested on a gun holstered at his waist. When he saw Faulkner, Kovalev grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the door.

‘Get out, you damn hyena,’ he snarled. ‘You don’t have the authority to be in here.’

Faulkner’s eyes found Charlie’s as he rearranged the collar of his shirt and massaged his neck. With a cough and a shrug, his gaze on Kovalev’s weapons, he slunk from the room. When he was gone, Kovalev turned to Dragomir, and Charlie flinched at the fury in his eyes.

Still sitting upright on top of Charlie, Dragomir regarded Kovalev steadily. ‘Do you have something to say, Vasya?’ He spoke calmly, a note of laughter in his voice. ‘Or are you just feeling curious today?’

Charlie lowered his eyes to the floor, heat rising in his cheeks, and shifted beneath Dragomir. Humiliation burnt in the pit of his stomach. He knew the brand was still visible.

‘Get up,’ Kovalev said at last, his words dripping with venom. ‘We have work to do.’

‘Is it so urgent?’ Dragomir sounded bored now. When Charlie continued to struggle, Dragomir brought his hand casually around Charlie’s throat. ’Shh,’ he said, squeezing with practised care. ‘I know you’re desperate for it, but you’ll have to be patient – unless you want an audience? Sounds like you’re no stranger to that sort of thing, if what I’ve heard about you is true.’

Charlie had gone completely still. ’Get your fucking hands off me,’ he managed to wheeze, as Dragomir’s grip slowly tightened around his neck. ‘I can’t –’

’That’s enough.’ Kovalev’s voice was so sharp it made Charlie flinch. ‘Stop right now, or I’ll make sure you regret it.’

It took a few seconds for Dragomir to react, during which time Charlie watched as the two Witch Hunters sized each other up. Kovalev’s expression had darkened to the point that he looked murderous. Finally, with another soft chuckle, and after sending his hand trailing down Charlie’s back all the way from the nape of his neck to his tailbone, Dragomir got to his feet.

‘Don’t you worry, I’ll be back for you soon enough,’ he said to Charlie, landing a vicious kick to his ribs before he strode towards the door. ‘Make sure you keep me in your thoughts, then we can pick up right where we left off.’

He shouldered past Kovalev, hunting knife in hand, and disappeared out of sight. His cruel laughter echoed in Charlie’s ears long after he had left the room.

Kovalev stared after him in silence for a few moments, his eyes oddly glazed. Then he drew himself up to his full height and, with a sigh, pushed his wild black hair out of his eyes. He turned towards Charlie, frowning.

Charlie watched with deep unease as Kovalev approached him, drawing a pocketknife from out of nowhere and unfolding it as he went. He bent down beside Charlie and gripped his right shoulder to hold him still.

’Don’t fucking touch me,’ Charlie hissed, flinching at the pain from his scarred flesh.

Without a word, Kovalev cut the restraints binding Charlie’s wrists in one swift movement.

Then he let him go.

Before Charlie had a chance to gather his thoughts, Kovalev had dragged him to his feet by the front of his t-shirt. ‘Who did that to you?’ he demanded, his voice harsh, his fathomless eyes flicking down before returning to Charlie’s face. ‘When did –?’

‘Shut up!’ Charlie pulled the back of his t-shirt down, trying to cover his branded skin. ‘It’s none of your business.’

‘Fine. Have it your own way,’ Kovalev said, his voice turning cold. He shoved Charlie towards the door and threw his sweatshirt after him, which Charlie caught, confused. ‘This is your one chance to escape,’ Kovalev continued. ’If I find out you’ve told anyone about this –’ he folded the pocketknife closed ‘– it’s your funeral.’

Charlie frowned, edging towards the door. ‘But –’

‘Get out of my sight, before I change my mind.’ Wild-eyed, Kovalev glared at him.

Charlie did not need to be told twice. He stumbled across the threshold and ran in the opposite direction to Dragomir, leaving Kovalev behind in the interrogation cell. Pulling his sweatshirt back over his head, he caught the scent of pine forests as he raced along unfamiliar passageways, all of which looked identical. Adrenaline was coursing through his body, rising up the back of his throat.

His situation was so desperate that Charlie almost felt like laughing. He had no idea where he was, and no clue as to where he was going. All he could do was keep running. It was the only way to prevent himself from thinking about what had just happened to him in the interrogation cell. What had almost –

He hurtled left along the next passageway, only to come face to face with a familiar redheaded figure. Halting in his tracks, he shook his head, unable to believe that he had run straight into Seren Casimir again. She was staring at him with one hand on her hip, her eyebrows raised. A faintly impressed smile was playing around her mouth.

‘You actually did it,’ she said, looking him up and down with some pride, before glancing over her shoulder.

Charlie followed Seren’s gaze. Standing behind her was a girl he recognised, although he had not expected to see her ever again. She was dressed differently than when they had first met – almost all in black, from her leggings to her lace-up boots. Her glossy brown hair hung in loose waves over her navy-blue knitted jumper. She carried a black rucksack on her back and kept running the straps of it through her fingers.

‘Hello, Charlie,’ she said, sounding nervous. ‘Do you remember me … from before?’

Charlie nodded, and swallowed hard. ‘I – I remember you.’ He ran his fingers through his hair and spoke to the floor before looking up again. ‘It’s Alice, right?’

‘Alya is fine,’ she replied, biting a hangnail, and not quite meeting his eyes.

‘What are you doing here? Why are you two,’ he frowned at Seren, ‘together?’

‘Oh, she’s been a big help.’ Seren cast an appraising eye over Alice, who bit her lip. ‘She’s the reason we were able to find you. She has a …’ Seren paused, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. ’She has a good sense of direction, shall we say … right, Alya?’

‘I don’t get it,’ Charlie said, noticing the look of obvious discomfort that clouded Alice’s expression. ‘Why are you here, with her?’ he asked, turning his frown on Alice now. ‘What d’you want? Do you know what she is?’

‘Yes,’ Alice said, her voice soft and uncertain. ‘I know all about what she is. I was there when she escaped from the Facility.’

’Why were you there?’ Charlie asked, his voice sharp. ‘How are you involved in this?’

‘I was only coming to speak to someone I know,’ Alice said. ‘But then I saw what she did. I saw her powers.’ She gazed at Seren, wonder sparkling in her black eyes. ‘I promised myself that if I ever saw her again, I would try to talk to her – learn from her. There are so many questions that I want to ask …’

‘She needs a mentor,’ Seren added, the same playful look on her face. ‘A teacher.’

’Seren, please,’ Alice murmured, a pained note to her words. ‘Don’t say anything …’

Seren’s smile faded. ‘We’ve got to go,’ she snapped, grabbing Alice’s hand, and breaking into a sprint. ‘Hurry!’

‘Where are you going?’ Charlie shouted after her. ‘There are still soldiers out there!’

’There they are!’ a triumphant voice called out. ‘You, block their escape route at Point C! You, with me!’

’We need to get out of here – now,’ Alice urged them. ‘If they catch us, it’s all over.’

Seren whirled around. ‘I’m not leaving without my sister! I’ll kill them all first.’

Charlie breathed deeply, his fists clenched. ‘Seren, you’ve got to listen to me! You think I want to leave? My family are still somewhere in this place too, remember?’

She scowled at him but did not argue.

‘This guy tracking us down – Dragomir,’ Charlie continued, his voice low and rushed, ‘he and I have history. He’s one of the soldiers who arrested me. He’s a Hunter – a professional witch killer – and if he finds us, we won’t have another chance to rescue your sister or my family because we’ll both be dead. We need to listen to her.’

Seren cast Alice a withering look. ’What do you suggest we do, then, little cuckoo?’

‘First, we get ourselves out of here alive,’ Alice said. ‘Then we help everyone else.’

But a team of soldiers was already racing down the passageway towards them, their guns raised.

‘They’re here, sir!’ one of them shouted. ‘We’ve found the prisoners. Orders?’

’We need the witch alive!’ Dragomir’s voice crackled through the radio. ’Recapture the girl. I don’t care what you have to do to that Penumbran scum who’s with her, just bring him to me!’

Everything seemed to slow down in front of his eyes. Charlie looked in front of him and saw the guns aimed straight at his chest. He heard Alice screaming at the soldiers to stop. He looked at Seren by his side and saw the rage blazing in her eyes.

Seren had extended her arm towards the soldiers, and her fingers were curling through the air as though she were trying to catch smoke. The next thing he knew, the soldiers were groaning in a heap on the floor. Some of them had slammed bodily into one another before being knocked unconscious. Others had smashed straight into the walls and lay without stirring, their eyes closed.

Charlie was lost for words as he stared open-mouthed at Seren, whose legs were shaking beneath her. ‘That was really something,’ he said finally, while Alice nodded in agreement. ‘Hey, what’s wrong with you?’ Seren had collapsed to the floor and was not moving.

’Requesting status update on the prisoners.’ Dragomir’s voice was coming through the radio again. ’Do you have the witch in custody? Report in. What is your current position? I’m bringing backup.’

‘We’ve got to get out of here,’ Alice moaned, hopping from one foot to the other.

Charlie crouched beside Seren. ‘Do you need me to carry you?’

‘No – don’t want –’ Her voice was so weak he could barely make out what she said.

‘You’re going to have to run, then,’ he said, pulling her to her feet. ‘Alya, let’s go!’

Charlie had no idea where he was leading them. He plunged down passageway after passageway, each one somehow mercifully empty. They zigzagged this way and that, trying to throw any pursuers off their scent, with Charlie dragging Seren behind him as he ran. Alice kept up without complaint, the heels of her boots clacking along the deserted passages.

At last, off a narrower corridor to their left, he noticed a hidden alcove, and pushed Seren inside it. Alice followed them in. Charlie closed his eyes, gasping for air as he leant against the wall, his knees trembling. The pain in his chest felt like someone was twisting a knife between his ribs.

Seren had slid down to the ground, panting. ‘Did we lose them?’ she asked.

Charlie peered cautiously around the alcove. ‘For now,’ he said, keeping his voice low as he turned back to her, ‘but I don’t think it’ll stay that way for long. At least we’re well-hidden here, so we can rest for a while.’

‘We need to move as soon as we can,’ Alice said, scanning the passageway. ‘It’s not safe for us to stay in one place.’

‘Something’s wrong with Seren,’ Charlie said, his voice cold. ‘She needs to rest.’

Alice fixed him with a hard stare, then shrugged. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

‘I’m sorry for dragging you into this,’ Seren said quietly, her eyes downcast.

‘If it weren’t for you, I’d still be in that cell,’ Charlie said, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to think. ‘Besides, you didn’t drag me into anything.’

‘I really thought I could find them,’ Seren said, her voice thick as she spoke to her knees. ‘I thought for sure that she would be here … Saga … my little sister. But I’m not strong enough, and if the soldiers find us … What if –?’

‘Hey,’ he said, bending down and meeting her eyes. ‘We won’t let that happen, all right? From now on, whatever happens, we’re in this together.’ He squeezed her hand with a smile.

Seren looked up at him, her bright eyes shining, and rubbed away her tears. ‘Together.’

‘I have an idea,’ Alice said, turning to them with her arms folded across her chest. ‘If it works, it will at least buy us some time. But first, we need to get out of here and back to Penumbra.’ She held out her hand towards Seren. ‘Can you stand?’

Seren was breathing heavily. ‘I’m feeling a little better now. I … I think I’m all right.’ She grasped Alice’s hand and got to her feet. ‘If we can rest soon, I’ll be all right.’

Charlie scratched at his throat. ‘Come on then, let’s get out of here, before –’

He took a step forward, crashed into something solid, and staggered backwards. He had been looking at Seren instead of staying focused on checking whether the coast was clear. Someone had been waiting for them just beyond the entrance to the alcove.

Charlie’s words died on his lips, his heart sinking as he realised who had discovered them. He recognised the dark scowl on the face of the furious-looking soldier who was blocking their path at once.

It was Vasco Kovalev.