"Izzy, thank fuck," Alex exclaimed, pulling his sister in for a hug.
"I told you it'd be fine," she said, pushing him back. "But I still need to breathe, you know."
Gabby and Zac followed and Aya came in last, bringing up the rear.
"You got the grimoire?" Tristan asked, rising to his feet.
Aya pulled out the little green book from the inside of her jacket and set it on the table.
"It's smaller than I thought it would be," Zac said, narrowing his eyes at it.
"It's different to any other grimoire I've seen before," Gabby said, peering at the book. "It's certainly changed from the vision Katrin gave me."
"It's likely she wanted to alter it after she was made one of the Five," Aya said, sitting at the table.
"Alisandra's was full of awful things. I'm a little scared of opening it."
"You can do it. You've gotten this far."
As Alex watched Gabby stare at the grimoire, he cracked his neck. This wasn't any place for him. What did he know about magic and vampires? Zero, zip, zilch, nada. He stood and everyone looked up at the movement.
"I'm taking you out," Alex said, pulling Isobel to her feet. he could see she was dying to see inside the book, but he wanted to spend time with her in a normal setting. Preferably one without any mention of anything supernatural.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Zac said. "Lord Fairy Dust could be hiding around the corner."
"I can't sense him," Gabby said, frowning.
"Then it should be safe enough," Alex countered.
Zac didn't seem to like it. "Just because you can't sense him, doesn't mean he's not hanging around, or has someone doing the watching for him."
"We already have the grimoire," Aya sighed. "He has no use for Isobel and certainly not Alex. I don't see the harm in them going out for an hour."
"See?" Alex said. "Just an hour. I'd like to spend some time with Izzy before…you know."
"I'm not turning you," Gabby exclaimed, her hands curling into tight fists. "I'm not, so just forget it already."
Alex exchanged a look with Aya. "Gabby, I-"
"Just let me decipher the grimoire. Can you do that?"
He nodded meekly. His friend was under so much pressure, it was unbelievable and how he hadn't seen it before. Gabby's strength was surprising and it showed how much she'd grown in the last year.
"Okay, Izzy. Are you up for it?" he asked, drawing attention from the witch.
"Just an hour, because I'm kinda beat from a night of thievery." She gave him a wink and his worry eased a fraction. "We can bring back some takeout if you're hungry, Gabby?"
"Thanks," the witch replied. "That sounds great. It's easy to forget to eat when you're the only human in a bunch of vampires."
Alex pulled his jacket on and motioned for Isobel to follow him. Before things got crazy and before something happened to ruin everything, he wanted to hang with his big sister. It might be the only chance he got while he was still human and there wasn't anyone else he'd rather spend his last hours with. Who knew what would happen when he changed? If he'd still be the same person as he was now, if he'd still feel the same way about his family.
Alex's heart was well and truly set on sacrificing himself. Gabby was fighting against it, but he was the only one that was fit for the job and everyone knew it. It was time to say his goodbyes while he had the chance. Everything was fair game now.
If they weren't in such a shit place right now, Alex might've enjoyed seeing the place that Isobel called home. He would've liked to see the University where she studied, the places she hung out, met some of her friends….gone sightseeing across the countryside. But instead they were stuck in the middle of some ancient war between two extinct magical races. Head. Fuck.
They wandered down the street together, Christmas decorations twinkling in every window, the promise of snow on the air. It should've felt festive and cheerful and all of that, but all Alex could think about was his big sister and the looming threat of some psycho hybrid.
"Do you remember when we were little and Dad used to get up on the roof and decorate the house with Christmas lights?" Isobel asked.
Alex nodded, trying not to let it get to him. "Yeah, it was terrible."
"Half the lights were always broken."
"He tried so hard," he said with a laugh.
"We'd stand out the front in the dark and he'd make this big show of plugging them in, making a speech and then only half the thing would light up."
"Didn't he blow the fuse box one year?"
"You remember that?" Isobel asked, threading her arm through his. "You were only about five or six."
"I remember it," he said, squeezing her arm. "How could I forget? Mrs. Landers called the fire brigade."
Isobel let out a loud laugh. "She thought he'd burn the whole street down."
They fell silent as they walked down the main street of Oxford, or what felt like the main street. Shops lined either side selling clothes, cell phones, jewelry and a few of those souvenir places that had Oxford University sweaters and t-shirts hanging in the windows
"Are you happy here?" Alex asked. "I mean, is it where you want to be?"
Isobel sighed. "Yeah. I really like it here. The University is great. I like my apartment, even though it's a shoebox. I've made some great friends…and made some great discoveries." She winked at him, biting her lip. "Even though I have to keep them to myself."
"Good. I'm glad."
"You don't sound very happy," she said. "What about your business? I thought you were starting your own building and gardening service?"
"I am…I was…"
"But?"
"But-" He hesitated, his heart feeling heavy with what he knew he had to do. "It's not meant to be."
Isobel instantly got his meaning. "Alex, you can't be serious. We may have very different dreams, but yours are just as important as mine. Just because they need someone to, you know, doesn't mean it has to be you."
"And you'd rather it be you?" he asked a little too sharply.
"I'd do it," she said without blinking.
"No, Izzy," he cried, turning to face her, the light from an electronics store illuminating her face in the murky winter daylight. "I'm the only one who can do this and you know it. I have the right mind, the right heart and the right intent. Anyone else and it won't work." He'd seen the monster Arturius had turned into and he couldn't chance Isobel turning into that. He couldn't chance Isobel turning at all. It was completely out of the question.
"I don't want you to," she said, her voice quiet.
"Self-sacrifice has a lot to do with it," he replied. "I'd do it to save you. A million times over."
"It doesn't make it right."
"No, but it's what needs to be done."
A tear slipped down one cheek and she brushed it away furiously. "I can't. You're my little brother. I should be protecting you."
"Trust me, Izzy." He rubbed her shoulders and cast his gaze across the street, watching people pass them by. Ordinary people going about their business with their ordinary problems. How he wished they could be just like them. That's when he saw a man standing across the street. He was dressed in a suit, no tie and was just staring at them. Alex didn't know how he knew it, but something told him they needed to get out of there like yesterday. Was that guy the hybrid, Aed? Alex wasn't going to stick around to find out.
Rather than alarm Isobel, he flung an arm over her shoulder and began leading her back towards the apartment, cursing the fact that he no longer had a cell number for Zac or even Tristan. "Let's go back," he said in a low voice. "Wasn't there a takeaway place near your house? We can get Gabby some breakfast from there."
"I think it'd be more like lunch by now."
"Food's food right?" He looked over his shoulder and caught sight of the man in his peripheral vision, looming like some freaky sicko. They were definitely being followed, but he wasn't sure by who. It might be Aed, or it might be another of his vampire thugs keeping tabs. Ri
ght now, his only option was to keep walking like nothing was wrong. With any luck, they'd get back to Isobel's in one piece and the guy would keep his distance.
Worst case, he'd try something and there was nothing Alex could do about that. They were human and that meant they'd already lost. Luck was the only way of getting out of this and luck was in short supply.
"Is there a shortcut?" he asked as they wandered back. "I'm freezing my ass off here."
"It's not like winter in Louisiana, huh?" Isobel said with a laugh. "I kinda miss that humid cesspool sometimes."
"Yeah, ice and snow…can't say I'm a fan."
"Okay, grumpy. There's a lane here we can cut through instead of going around the block." She pointed to a break in between some buildings ahead.
"I need a coffee, stat," he said cheerfully, hyper aware that their shadow hadn't dropped off.
They turned down the lane, their footsteps echoing around them and he cursed when he saw how long it was. What was that thing about dark alley ways and horror movies? He lengthened his stride and Isobel almost had to jog to keep up.
"What's the rush?" she asked, but then her face fell.
"Just keep walking, Izzy."
"He's-"
"I don't know. We just have to make it back."
They'd gotten half way down the lane before their follower decided to make his move. He landed in front of them with a thud, a hand on the cobblestones to steady himself before rising to his full height. Isobel gasped, clutching Alex's arm and he pulled her into his side.
The man stepped toward them, his movements almost cat-like, but that's not what Alex was staring at. He'd seen some freaky eye shit with Zac and Aya, but this guy took the cake and ate the whole fucking thing, too. His eyes were red. Not entirely red, but like some people had blue or brown irises. Red like a stop light. Red like blood.
His heart flip flopped in his chest as he realized who was standing in front of them. Aed. Fucking shit.
"Scared?" the hybrid drawled, his eyes fixing on the two humans. "You should be."
"Leave us alone," Alex said. "We can't help you. You've got nothing to gain by hurting us."
Aed smirked, his gaze falling onto Isobel. "I have everything to gain."
As he began to stride forward, Alex pulled Isobel behind him, trying to shield her from whatever was going to happen. Fat lot of good that would do. The hybrid would just tear him into shreds before he could take a swing.
Another dark form dropped in between them and he instantly recognized Zac. Had he been following them this entire time? He was suddenly very grateful that the vampire could be so sneaky.
"You?" Aed stopped abruptly, glaring.
"Yes, me. Just your friendly Celestine stinking, vampire watch dog here to put your plans for world domination into disarray."
"Do not get in my way," Aed hissed. "I will rip you into little pieces."
"I cracked your head open once and I can do it again," Zac hissed. "If you want them, you'll have to go through me."
"It will be my pleasure."
Zac's shoulders squared and he ran towards Aed faster than Alex's eyes could follow. The vampire pushed the hybrid with a hard jab and he flew backwards, rolling to a stop towards the opposite end of the lane.
Pulling Isobel back into the safety of a doorway, he held her close. "It's going to be okay," he murmured, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. She was shaking like a leaf, her eyes wide with fear.
Peering around the doorway, he wondered if they could make a run for it while Zac distracted Aed. The two vampires were in between them and the apartment, so they would have to go the long way around.
"We need to make a run for it," Alex said, cupping his sister's face. "I know you're scared, I'm shitting myself right now, but we have to get outta here."
Isobel nodded and they both looked at the vampires who were wrestling each other. He winced as Aed punched Zac square in the face, putting the vampire flat on his back, blood streaming from his nose and mouth. Their eyes connected for a split second and all they said to Alex was, run.
Aed grabbed Zac's shoulders and pulled him to his feet with a roar. There was a sickening crack as the hybrid squeezed, shattering bone. The vampire let out a shocked gasp, the only indicator that he felt any pain. His arms dangled uselessly beside him and he let out an angry growl.
"Do you know what happens to fools who get in my way?" the hybrid asked.
Alex felt Isobel move beside him and he went to grab her arm, but she was too quick.
"Stop," she cried, standing in the middle of the lane. "Leave him alone."
Aed's head flew up at the sound of her voice and he dropped Zac abruptly. In a flash, he was in front of her, hands on her waist. "Siobhan?"
Alex could see Isobel visibly shaking, giving away that she was terrified. Why had she revealed herself?
"I know you are afraid of me, my love."
My love?
"I know you are afraid," he continued. "I know you don't remember me, but I understand. In time you'll remember. I'll help you."
To everyone's shock, Aed cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to Isobel's forehead like he was her secret lover. She gasped at the contact, her entire body rigid.
Zac stumbled to his feet, his arms starting to move again and the hybrid scooped up Isobel. She shrieked and beat her fists against his chest, but there was nothing any of them could've done. There was a whoosh of air and then they were gone.
Alex stumbled out of the doorway and looked around wildly. "Izzy," he yelled, his voice echoing between the buildings.
"It's no use," Zac grimaced. "They're long gone."
"What-"
"Did you just see the same crazy shit I just did?" Zac groaned, massaging his shoulder.
"He took her…" Alex was stunned. This was shock, wasn't it? His limbs felt numb, his skin prickled with a thousand pins and needles and he couldn't catch his breath.
"I knew the guy was mental, but that takes the cake."
"Who the fuck is Siobhan?"
"Who the hell knows what's going through that guy's head." Zac leaned against the wall with a grimace as his bones healed.
"We need to get her back," Alex said, desperation boiling to the surface.
"I know," the vampire replied. "We need Gabby. She can track him."
"She can do that now? I thought she could just sense him?"
"Regulus taught her before..." He stopped mid-sentence and shrugged. Before he'd died. Alex knew enough about it to understand.
Alex was just…he couldn't function properly and just stood there staring at the place where Isobel had been standing a moment before. She was in the hands of a insane vampire hybrid. What if he turned her? His heart began to beat painfully in his chest as every worst case scenario played itself out in his mind.
"Are you okay?" Zac placed a hand on his arm, bringing him back to the present.
"No," he said shaking his head. "Are you?"
"Yeah," he replied, flexing his muscles. "Bones heal, severed limbs not so much."
Alex frowned, casting his thoughts back to Isobel. There was only one option now and it wasn't gong to be pleasant. Without a word, he strode down the street back toward the apartment, Zac trailing behind.
"Where are you going?" the vampire called out.
Not bothering to stop, he said, "Where do you think?"
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Alex stormed into his sister's apartment, the door banging inward against the wall. Gabby, Aya and Tristan looked up and when they saw the expression on his face, they all shot to their feet.
"Alex, wait up a minute," Zac called out from behind.
"Gabby," he said, his determined gaze fixed on the witch.
"What's going on?" she asked and when she saw the blood all over Zac's face, her eyes widened.
"Aed turned up," the vampire said. "Smacked me in the face like a little girl."
"He took Izzy," Alex said, trying to hold everything in, but Aya wa
s there winding a hand into his. She'd know, she'd always know.
"He what?"
"He snatched her," Alex said, but he couldn't formulate a proper explanation.
"He was probably looking for Aya and tracked me instead," Zac said. "I was following them at a distance to make sure they were okay and when Alex changed course, I saw Aed following them through the street. I hoped he'd keep his distance until we were all together, but he must have realized…"
"He tracked you?" Alex hissed, turning on Zac.
"He seems to think I smell like a Celestine."
"I told him to follow you," Gabby interrupted. "I couldn't let you go without some kind of protection."
"He almost got me," Zac said, rolling his shoulders.
"He almost killed you?" Aya gasped and practically threw herself at the vampire.
"I'm fine," he murmured into her hair, holding her tight. "Thanks to Isobel."
"I got the feeling that he recognized her," Gabby said like she'd been deep in thought.
"When?" Zac asked, looking thoroughly annoyed.
"When I sifted through his thoughts."
"You were in his head?"
"The vampire that was here, the one that he compelled…he did a sloppy job and left a thread behind. A way into his thoughts."
"Gabby," Aya said, "he could've…"
"He didn't," she snapped.
"That's how you knew," the hybrid said, straightening. "I thought you'd gleaned it from the vampire, not Aed himself."
"You knew?" Alex asked, his jaw tight.
"He thinks she's his lost love," Zac said, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder. "He won't do anything to hurt her."
"You said it yourself, he's insane. Who knows what he'll see tomorrow?"
"We'll get her back," Gabby said, "I-"
Alex wasn't really listening. Gabby was too preoccupied with not wanting to hurt anybody, that she didn't quite grasp the fact that there was no getting out of this without anyone suffering at least a little. "You need to change me. You need to change me and we need to kill him. That's the only way I can keep her safe."
Gabby's eyes began to fill with tears, her calm exterior beginning to crack. "No. I won't. Not you."
"Change me, Gabby. You know there's no other option."