The Beta's Witch

Chapter 17: A Step in the Right Direction

TAYLOR’S POV

“What happened? Why is she unconscious?”

“I just flooded her psyche with years’ worth of memories.” He explained snarkily, laying her gently on the table. “Who she was then and who she is now is mashing together like two puzzle pieces that don’t quite fit. She’s gonna need a minute.”

“You couldn’t have just given her a few memories at a time?” I ground out. If bombarding her with everything she had forgotten would put her in that much pain, he shouldn’t have done it like that. This guy was beginning to get on my nerves.

“I’m going to assume you don’t know much about magic,” he ventured. “Adriana’s memories and her magic were sealed deep within her mind. It’s obvious that seal was disturbed, and it tried to fix itself; taking all her memories like it was originally meant to. I’ll have to tweak it this time so that it doesn’t erase the new life she’s made for herself.” He absently flipped a few pages of his book.

“’This time?’” I demanded. “What do you mean?”

“Adriana has been through a lot, giving her memories back could break her.” He murmured, gently smoothing her hair. I gave him points for being as equally annoying as he was caring. It seemed that Joseph Castor did care about his niece.

“What could be worse than being tricked into a sacrificial ritual, accidentally killing your own grandmother, and fleeing while covered in the blood of your own kind?” I asked softly. If Adriana had been through worse, I wasn’t sure if getting her memories back was such a great idea either.

“How do you know about that?” He demanded, taking his eyes off Adriana for the first time.

“My husband told me.” I shrugged, suddenly feeling tired. “Some of her memories came back when she had an altercation with dark magic. Adriana told my husband and his friends before she forgot them. She knew this. . .  seal. . .  was erasing her memories again, and before long she wouldn’t even remember who she was.”

“And who is your husband?” he sneered, inching away from the table. His hands went behind his back. I watched him warily. The man was getting anxious and when men got anxious, they become predictable.

“Elijah Thomas. Gamma of the Midnight pack.” I answered. He whipped his hands from around his back, with impressive speed even for a vampire. A wooden stake swung up, aimed for my ribs and up towards my heart.

As fast as he was, I was faster. I grabbed his wrist twisting the stake out of his hand, then swung him around. He slammed down on the table next to Adriana’s unconscious form, grunting when I pulled his wrist up and between his shoulder blades. I pressed the stake to his back, one clean shove away from his heart.

“Wolves,” he growled, breathing hard.

“You’re not as stupid as you look,” I congratulated sarcastically, tightening my grip on his arm.

“I’m smart enough to know who you are,” Joseph goaded. “The famous Vampire Hunter, Victoria Vulpe. The Spanish accent threw me off for a minute there. You turned against her own kind for a pretty penny and the need for self-atonement.”

“Don’t” I warned. “I don’t pretend to know your story. Don’t pretend to know mine.”

“Where’s Daniel?” He asked suddenly.

“Safe.” I grunted, trying to figure out how to get to my phone; I needed back up. His question had caught me off guard. He had taken Adriana’s memories, and watched over her and Daniel from a far. But, why?

“So what now?” he asked.

“Adriana isn’t safe.” I told him, pinning the stake between my chest and his back. It freed my hand so that I could grab my phone. I shot a quick text to Carson, telling him to come in. “We came here so you could fix her and now I need to take her home.”

“I can keep her safe. I’ve been keeping them safe.” He was starting to sound desperate.

“From Sofia? Funny, I haven’t seen you around lately.” I griped.

“Who’s Sofia?”

Carson and two of his men pushed through the door, just as I was about to answer. Alfred and Gerard each grabbed one of Joseph’s arms, and I quickly stepped away. Carson wrapped thick ropes around his wrists, they sizzled wherever they touched bare skin. Joseph hissed.

“What is that?” I asked.

“The ropes are soaked in concentrated rose oil.” He explained, tightening the knots.  

I nodded in appreciation. I wasn’t particularly fond of the vampire at this point, but there were some things that were bothering me. Carson’s guys shoved him down onto a nearby chair and began wrapping the rope to his ankles.

When he was completely immobilized, I leaned down until we were eye level with each other. “Now, we are going to ask some questions.” I crooned. “And you’re going to answer them.”

“Adriana!” Carson called abruptly. I turned sharply, seeing Adriana slowly sit up on the table. Carson gripped her arms supporting her. She looked pale.

“What are you doing, Tay?”  

. . . . .

ADRIANA’S POV

My head felt like it had just gone through brain surgery, without the pain meds. I leaned against Carson, thankfully that he was here, even though it meant that Taylor had ratted me out.

Two men I remembered from last night stood at attention behind my uncle, ready to attack at the slightest hint of aggression. Taylor and Joseph were both staring back at me, seeming very concerned. I glared at the immobilized vampire on my right.

“Hello Uncle.” I drawled, pushing off the table. Carson moved to help me, but I shoved him off. “You didn’t follow the plan.”

“You have your memories back.” Carson observed from behind me. “Good, then we can leave.”

Taylor shook her head. “Not yet. Mr. Castor here has some information that I’m dying to know.”

“Like what?” I snapped, eyeing my uncle distastefully. It hurt me slightly to see him tied up and in pain, but he’d left me and Daniel on the sidelines. I was pissed. “I’m sure I could answer any questions you have. We don’t need him.”

Joseph flinched slightly. “Adriana I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t what we discussed but you were thriving-“

“I was miserable!” I exploded. “And scared.”

“Adriana,” Carson warned, putting a hand on my shoulder. “We can’t stay here. A group of men showed up not too long ago looking for this place. Who knows how long until they come back.”

“There’s a cloaking spell on the building. Anyone with ill intent won’t see the property, let alone get in.” Joseph explained quickly. “We are safe here.”

“We were able to get in.” Carson countered. “Obviously, there’s something wrong with your spell. “

“Were you thinking about harming anyone when you entered?” He asked, as if he were questioning a child.

“No.”

“Then there’s nothing wrong with the spell.”

Taylor walked up to me, taking my hands. “Can you tell us what happened now?”

I shook my head. “Please don’t ask me to, Taylor. I’ll answer any other question you have, but please don’t ask me to relive the worst moment of my life.”

She nodded, turning back to Joseph. “What were you protecting Adriana and Daniel from?”

“I don’t answer to some traitorous vampire and her wolf lackeys.” He replies stubbornly. She glanced at me instead.

“When I fled my home with Daniel, my Uncle found us a week later.” I told her quietly, pained by even this brief version. “He promised to come back and help me when he knew there were no repercussions to the ritual. Then he sealed my magic and my memories.”

“Why would you do that?” Carson interrogated Joseph, approaching him threateningly. I grabbed his arm, digging my heels in.

“I asked him to!” I cried. “I was struggling to cope with what had happened, barely functioning. Daniel didn’t deserve that.”

“And?” Taylor urged impatiently. “Were there repercussions?”

I looked to my uncle, who wouldn’t meet my eye. “Were there?” I prompted.

He nodded reluctantly, jaw tightening. Before I realized what he was about to do, a blast of magic erupted from my uncle. It washed over my skin, knocking into the wolves. Carson and his men fell to the ground, unconscious. Taylor and I were the only ones left standing.

Joseph snapped the ropes easily and pushed out of the chair, then flicked a hand towards Taylor’s feet. She attempted to take a step, but almost lost her balance.

Taylor snarled, “You’ll pay for that.”

“Easy Victoria.” He said drily, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

“It’s Taylor,” she snapped, straining against the magic keeping her rooted to the floor.  

Joseph rolled his eyes. Stepping over one of the wolves to sit in a chair not littered with poisoned ropes. He made a big show of leaning back and folding his hands behind his head. “You have questions and so do I. But the wolves were nonnegotiable. I don’t play nice with wolves.”

“Well you’d better learn,” Taylor taunted, making me snap to attention. “Your new nephew-in-law is the Beta of the Midnight pack.”

“What?!” Joseph growled, eyes turning black.