Chapter 14

That night, she wondered how long they had left, what would happen. The end of the world, she thought wonderingly, no longer afraid. She trusted Kierlan with all her heart, such a strange feeling!

Getting up, pushing her quilt aside, she padded to the window where moonlight slanted sneakily along the sill and down onto the floor, a puddle of white-gold light in the shadows. In the driveway, Damoran's car was parked there, an elegant automobile that didn't fit in here, in this rustic place. He'd arrived earlier in the evening and Ash had darted off like the hounds of hell were at his heel, for he missed the city life so dearly.

Suddenly, she felt wide awake. It was midnight; the house was perfectly silent. "Great," she muttered, flicked the bedside lamp on and grabbed a textbook to read. If that wouldn't send her to sleep, nothing would.

The clock clicked to 1AM before she knew it. She was still wide awake. The house was still deathly silent. The moonlight was cooler as it forced its way into her dark room. A cool, dew-laden breeze whistled through the window. With an annoyed sigh she got up and went to the window, reaching out to grab the window latch, to pull it back in…

There was another car in the driveway. She stiffened, automatically reaching out for her jeans and ducking back out of sight of the window as she hurriedly pulled on her t-shirt over her nightdress, tucking the nightdress into her jeans, stifling hot but never mind. She reached out for the light switch but…

There was a 'pffst' sound, and the light plunged off. At least the moonlight was still shining fiercely. Still, a shiver crept up her spine, as the music that had been like a throbbing beat through her room was utterly silent too. It wasn't the lightbulb that had gone. It was the electricity…

The phone, she thought simply. That means we're cut off. At least Rita and Susie have mobile phones. But still…

She went to the door and eased it open. As soon as she saw a bare inch of the hallway, she slammed the door back shut: she'd seen the front door push open, heard the slight crack of the lock being wrenched and knew the intruders were within the house. Damoran, she wondered startled, then thought of Kierlan, afraid.

There was a thin whistling sound that rushed through the house. She clapped her hands to her ears in sudden pain: it was as shrill as a bat and her door clattered: she lunged forward to pull it closed as she heard every other door within the house clatter open in the same way. A vampire's golden eyes glinted at her, it lunged at her and pulled her out into the hallway as she kicked, grabbed out at the banister for grip and kicked again as hard as possible.

"Harman!" the vampire sang out, amused. "We've got your girlfriend!"

"Sarah!" Kierlan screamed, darting out of his room, witch fire already forming in his hands. "Let go of her!" he demanded threateningly, his violet eyes dead serious and furious. "Right now!"

The vampire's nails tugged through her hair and she winced, tried to kick him again. Then he swung her out, dangling her above the top stair. Her throat went dry as her feet dangled and she could see how far she'd fall…

"Broken neck," the vampire said tauntingly. "Imagine it, Harman." He ran a long finger down Sarah's neck and she whimpered humiliatingly in fear.

"No!" Kierlan's voice came out half-strangled. The witchfire died in his hands. "Please, no," he pleaded.

"No!" Sarah forgot her own terror. "Kierlan!" her voice was physically strangled as she angled another kick at the vampire's knees. He shook her in annoyance and she clung to his hand instead, terrified of being thrown down the stairs.

"Hurry up!" a woman appeared at the foot of the stairs. Then suddenly…she wasn't there any more. She stood up on the top landing, facing Kierlan. "Hurry up, Barral," she snapped tersely. "I can't keep the two witches enchanted much longer. Get the Wild Power away. Now!"

"Don't hurt Sarah," Kierlan said warningly, his voice low. "And I'll go with you. Willingly. Just don't hurt her."

"Sounds good," the woman said approvingly and turned to Barral. "Deal with it," she said and turned to Kierlan, reached forward and grasped his wrists. His violet eyes gripped Sarah's gaze, filled with raw terror, but only for her, making her feel sick.

Then Barral let go of Sarah, flinging her out, down the stairs.

"Sarah!" Kierlan screamed in anguish and terror, just before he and the woman vanished.

Sarah screamed, and then there was a black shadow that whipped forward, caught her in his arms, rolling with her down the stairs, fiercely wrapped around her, shielding her from the impact.

"Kierlan!" Sarah shrieked, tearing free, then stared at her saviour. Blade.