The Last Witch: Volume One

‘Try it!’

‘I don’t want to.’

‘I don’t care if you don’t want to, Red. I’m telling you to.’

‘I can’t control it. You know I can’t.’

He glares at me. The anger and frustration coming from him is unnerving.

‘Do…It…Now!’ Toby’s jaw tenses as he starts descending on me.

His hands are balled up into fists, and every muscle in his toned arms are visible.

I stumble back, but he reaches me and wraps his fingers tightly around my wrist.

He stops with his nose against mine and his angry breathing in my face.

‘Do it, Red, or I’ll punish you.’

‘I don’t know how, Toby, please-’

He quickly raises his hand.

I flinch, but he just strokes the hair from my face before

sliding his hand along my cheek and resting it on my throat.

I swallow and wait for his punishment.

‘Turn around,’ he orders.

I spin so my back is against his chest. His hand needlessly holds me in place by my throat.

His other hand plunges into my jeans and into knickers making me gasp at the sudden invasion.

‘Do it,’ he growls as his fingers move. I look at the tree in front of us.

‘I-I don’t know how. I’ve never done it before! What if something bad happens?’

‘Do it for me, Red, or I’ll never touch you again’ he whispers in my ear. His fingers go deeper as I reach up and wrap my fingers in his hair.

I’m so afraid of him and yet I crave him more than anything. I’m biting my lip and panting.

‘Do it. Or you’ll never see me again. Is that what you want? For me to leave you here alone, with them? With Harry and Christa?’

‘No, Toby…please don’t leave me.’

I look at the tree as he works me closer to an orgasm.

‘Then do it for me, Red. Do it. DO IT NOW!’

The tree erupts in bright orange flames as I cry out in pleasure.

‘I knew it!’ he laughs, watching the fire climb higher. The fire I created.

Magic I didn’t even know I could do.

‘I fucking love you, Red. My very own Arcane.’

‘LILLY! LILLY, OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!’

A series of loud bangs wake me from my uneasy sleep.

I can’t see anything! My eyes are stinging. I can’t breathe. I try to speak, but all that comes from me is violent, agonising coughing.

‘She’s in there. I can hear her!’

Another series of bangs and more yelling.

‘OPEN THE DOOR!’ Gabriel bellows desperately. ‘YOU’RE GOING TO BURN TO DEATH!! LILLY, PLEASE!’

Burn to death? Shit, the rooms on fire

‘LILLY HOOPER, OPEN THE DOOR!’

My movements are involuntary as I try to fight the overwhelming smoke and heat to do as Gabriel’s ordering me. It’s no good. My arms buckle, and I can do nothing but lie here ferociously coughing, despite his compulsion.

‘COLLINS… KNOCK IT DOWN!’ he shouts.

The door explodes, sending splinters of wood in all directions. I’m pulled into a sturdy pair of arms and lifted off the ground.

‘Gotcha.’ Gabriel carries me out. The air gets clearer. It’s getting easier to breathe.

‘Get that fire out before it burns the house down,’ Gabriel orders the others before looking down at me. ‘Can you hear me? Open your eyes.’

I feel my body moving and hands on me but can’t do anything. My voice is gone and my consciousness teeters on oblivion.

‘Where is she? Is she okay? Is she breathing?’ Grayson asks in a panic, skidding to a halt on his knees beside me as Gabriel lays me on the floor. Despite my eyes being a streaming mess and everything spinning wildly around me, I see his bright blue eyes full of worry.

‘You still with us?’ Gabriel asks.

‘Sorry,’ I cough.

‘Get it out!’ Grayson yells at the others and pointing towards the fire. ‘Before my house goes the same way as the Hoopers’.’

‘It won’t go out!’ Collins yells back.

‘What do you mean it won’t go out?’ Grayson jumps to his feet and heads to the burning room. ‘Use the extinguisher!’

‘We tried! It’s not working. It just comes back!’

I reach up and stroke Gabriel’s face to get his attention. He looks down at me, worry and anger in equal measure. This is precisely what I didn’t want to happen. I had a nightmare and my magic externalised. I told them when I came here. I warned them that I can’t control it.

‘You have to knock me out.’ My voice is a hoarse, cracked mess. The flames are mine. I can create them but putting them out is a different issue altogether. Especially when they weren’t created intentionally.

‘As long as I’m conscious, they won’t stop,’ I tell him. ‘Knock me out.’

‘I’m not going to hit you!’ Gabriel says firmly, but he has to. If he wants the fire to stop, I have to be unconscious.

‘Boss, it’s getting worse!’ Hendrix calls over, the pointless hissing of the ineffective fire extinguisher echo down the hall. ‘Little Witch, put it out!’

I take Gabriel’s hand. ‘Do it. Or the house will burn. Please, I don’t want to be told to leave!’

He shakes his head looking pained, but I nod and do my best to smile, letting him know it’s okay. He strokes the hair from my face and kneels over me.

‘I can’t hurt you. Not after everything you’ve been through. If you give me permission, I’ll tell you to sleep. Will that work?’

I shake my head and look at the others fighting the flames.

‘It will if I’m unconscious. It always does. Harry had to, sometimes.’

He looks at the flames that are crawling out of my room into the hall and at the three men trying desperately to put it out, but it won’t. It never does.

‘We don’t have time…hit me,’ I cough and struggle to get a good breath. He’s starting to cough too as the hall gets thicker with smoke. ‘For god’s sake, Gabriel!’ I say desperately. ‘Your house will burn to the ground! I don’t want to be sent away. I don’t want Grayson to be mad at me. Hit me. FUCKING HIT ME!’

His hands twist in my hair, but he still hesitates.

‘Do it. Do it.’

‘I’m sorry, Lilly. Forgive me.’

He slams my head into the floor sending me into darkness.

Good boy.

∞∞∞

The muffled, distant voices start getting clearer and closer.

‘She’s waking up,’ Gabriel says urgently. I feel a hand holding my arm. ‘Lilly, can you hear me? Are you okay?’

‘Ow,’ I groan, shifting and reaching up to my throbbing head. ‘Very, very ow.’

An anxious Gabriel helps me sit. On the other side of the bed is a rather angry, twitching Grayson.

‘Is the fire out?’ I ask in a panic. ‘I’m so sor-’ The brutal bout of coughing that erupts from me is agony. I feel like my lungs have been shredded.

‘Easy,’ Gabriel soothes, putting a glass of water in my hand. ‘You breathed in a lot of smoke. Drink this. You’ll be alright. And yes, the fire went out as soon as you were unconscious. Everything’s fine.’

The ice-cold water’s most welcome. Grayson’s annoyed expression is less so.

‘Everything’s fine?’ he mumbles. ‘It’s not fine. This is far from bloody fine.’

‘I had a nightmare,’ I croak, trying to explain. ‘It was an accident. My magic is…tricky to control.’

‘Tricky?’ Grayson hisses. ‘You almost killed yourself and could have burnt my house down! If Gabriel hadn’t gone to check on you when he had you would could have died in there! That fire is not tricky, Lilly. That fire is lethal! You created it in your sleep? What on earth were you dreaming about?’

I’ve really fucked this up. So far, I’ve scolded him, burnt his curtains and now set his house on fire. He is really angry.

‘This is not okay,’ he barks, getting to his feet and pacing up and down. ‘This is not acceptable.’

I push myself off the bed and get to my feet, brushing off Gabriel who’s trying to steady me as I do. ‘I’m so sorry. I’ll go,’ I really don’t want to, but to spare them the aggravation I will. ‘I’ll leave. You’ve done enough for me.’ As I leave, no one says a word. But when I get to the door, a hand slides into mine. I’m pulled back by Grayson who holds me close to his chest. He wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my hair. I hate being held like this, but the sheer relief that he’s not going mental at me is a lot stronger.

‘You don’t have to go. I’m not mad, you just scared the hell out of me. I thought you were going to die. Don’t ever, ever do that again. Ever.’ He holds me at arm’s length and inspects my face. ‘What on earth were you dreaming about?’

‘If you’re right, and I’m your Arcane…we’re all screwed.’

He and Gabriel both start to laugh. I wasn’t joking.

‘As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters,’ Gabriel tells me.

‘Indeed. The sun’s up. Have a shower. Change your clothes and come downstairs for something to eat,’ Grayson instructs. He points to the door in the far corner. ‘Your bathroom is through there. We’ve had to move you. You’re on the top floor with us now. We can keep an eye on you up here. Come on, brother. Let’s leave her to it.’

He leaves the room followed swiftly by Gabriel who glances back at me over his shoulder with a less than natural smile. When the door closes, I stand uncomfortably in this new room. It’s twice the size of the other room I was in with wooden floors, paintings of landscapes hanging on each wall and a large dressing table against the wall to my left. The bed’s a large wooden four poster that sits between two large windows and everything’s cream. The curtains, the bedding and the walls.

I strip off my smoke drenched clothes and walk into the bathroom. It’s bigger than the one downstairs but has the same shower. Plus, a free standing cast iron bath. I get in the shower and sink to the floor with a groan. I’m going to fuck this up. I know I am. I’m a ticking time bomb, and I’m just waiting for me to blow. Even if they aren’t.

There’s a small tap on the door which sends me straight back to my feet.

‘Don’t come in!’ I shout rudely.

‘I wasn’t planning on it,’ Gabriel calls back. ‘I have some more clothes for you. Your new ones went up in smoke, so I’m giving you some of mine for the time being. I’ll leave them on your bed.’

I stare at the door praying that it doesn’t open. I don’t want anyone to see me naked. Not with all these…marks. He’s right on the other side, I can hear him leaning against the door.

‘Lilly?’ he says finally.

‘Yeah?’

‘I’m sorry I hit you.’

He goes before I can tell him that there’s no need to apologise. He did as I asked. He did the only thing he could do. I feel terrible for making Gabriel feel bad, and I feel awful for letting Grayson down. Why can’t things just be simple?

∞∞∞

I’ve been pacing my new room for what feels like the whole night. Yesterday was a disaster. I’m so ashamed of myself for losing control the way I did. My hunger is almost crippling me. But I just don’t feel brave enough to face them. Humiliated. I’m absolutely humiliated. I could go downstairs, grab something and be back before anyone sees me. I’d much rather lie low for a day or two.

Slowly and as quietly as possible, I open the door and peek out onto the landing. Nothing. There’s no one around. I tiptoe out and reach the top of the stairs but stop dead when I hear the loud ding-dong of the doorbell. I stay frozen to the spot, foot still in the air, and wait.

‘John,’ Gabriel greets. ‘Glad to see you made it.’

‘Of course we came, sir. The Kendryks call, we answer. It’s both our honour and our privilege.’ I peer over the bannister, careful to remain hidden, and watch Gabriel greet a tall, smarmy looking man with greasy black hair. They shake hands, and John even gives a small bow as if he were addressing royalty. Two other men are close behind, and each gets a handshake from Gabriel as they bow. Collins lingers to the side watching the welcome.

‘Grayson’s ready for us in his office,’ Gabriel says, stepping back and opening his arm wide towards the enormous room. He’s being polite, but is obviously bored and disinterested in the meeting. ‘After you.’

They all follow, and Collins closes the door behind them leaving the entrance clear. I take my chance and make a quiet run down the stairs and whizz past the office towards the kitchen.

Safely in the kitchen, I grab a banana from the fruit bowl in the centre of the island before turning to leave. When I do, I slam into someone and fall back on the floor landing flat on my arse.

Quickly pushing myself up on my elbows, I see the greasy haired man Gabriel was talking to grinning down at me. John.

‘Here. Let me help you.’ He leans over me, holding out his hand. I shuffle back and get to my feet avoiding the outstretched hand like it’s about to explode, telling him I’m fine. He shrugs and looks me up and down.

‘What’s your name, gorgeous?’

His voice is as slimy as his hair and sets me on edge. I go to leave, but he sidesteps in front of me blocking my path.

‘Where are you going?’ he asks, checking me over. ‘Stay. Talk to me.’ His smile’s stomach-turning and his suit, which is extremely ill-fitting and ancient, smells of damp.

‘I have to go.’ I could slap myself for sounding so pathetic. When he doesn’t move, I once more attempt to sidestep around him, but he blocks my path. ‘Move. I have to-’

‘Not seen you about before. You from the camp?’ he asks, ignoring my words.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ I go to try and get past him again but no such luck. I groan as he blocks my path.

‘I like you. You’re pretty.’ He reduces the space between us with a big step forwards waking my magic, readying it for attack. I should have stayed upstairs. Hunger be damned. ‘I would really like to take you out for a drink sometime.’

‘I’m not interested,’ I say as firmly as I can and taking a deep breath in a bid to control my magic. I take another step forwards and he laughs as he yet again blocks my path. ‘Move. Let me past.’

‘You should treat me with more respect,’ he says, leaning in closer and losing his smarmy grin. ‘Not a good idea to piss of Grayson’s men, ya know. I’m just trying to be nice.’ He keeps coming as I back up until my arse hits the counter and I have nowhere else to go. ‘I don’t see a ring on your finger, so you must be open for business. How about you and me go for a private little walk? I could show you a good time.’

‘Let me past.’

‘C’mon. Don’t be shy. If you show me yours,’ he raises his eyebrows and stares at my chest. ‘I’ll show you mine.’ His hand rests over his crotch.

Who the hell is this guy? He licks his lips and continues to openly stare at my chest.

‘I’m going to ask you one more time.’ I try to hold my tone. ‘Let me past.’ He leans in close. I shove him, but he barely moves. ‘Get your greasy, vile little face out of mine before I punch it,’ I warn.

‘HEY!’ we turn and see Amara standing in the doorway looking at us. ‘Get away from her, John!’

‘Piss off. This doesn’t concern you.’

‘Move!’ I warn him again.

‘Make me,’ he laughs.

‘You have no idea who you’re messing with,’ Amara warns, nodding at me. ‘She’s not someone you want to annoy.’

‘Oh please, what’s she gonna do?’

I knee him in the crotch and shove him hard, knocking him over.

‘I think she’ll whack you in your special place,’ Amara laughs as I head towards her. ‘You okay, Lilly?’

‘Fine,’ I reply. ‘But I have to go before I do something I regret.’ The magic inside me is screaming to get out. I need to get somewhere safe.

‘Of course, go.’ She steps aside.

I keep going till I reach the open space of the entrance hall and stop dead when the door to Grayson’s study begins to open.

Shit!

I can’t go back to the kitchen, and there’s no way I’ll get to the stairs unseen. I inwardly scream as I just stand, frozen like a statue. The magic inside me is clawing at my skin, and I don’t think I can hold it much longer.

The two men that came with John leave the office, followed by the two brothers and Collins. I’m so busy looking at them I don’t notice John at my side.

‘I like a woman with spirit,’ he says. ‘And a nice ass.’ He puts his hand on my backside and squeezes.

And that’s it.

My blood runs cold and my breath catches in my throat as I surge with adrenaline and magic. John flies away from me, his body goes slamming into the wall as I intended. But what I didn’t mean to happen was making the vase of flowers that decorate the table explode, along with the windows by the front door. Fragments of glass fly in all directions. Everyone covers their heads and ducks down as the air fills with fast-moving shards. A sharp pain stings across my neck, but before I can check what’s caused it, a hand grabs my shoulder and spins me around.

‘She’s losing control!’ Hendrix bellows, his fists clenched and pulled back. The surging power inside me explodes once more, and he too slams into the wall hard.

‘STAY AWAY FROM ME!’ I yell, holding my hand up to get him to stop before I really do lose control. ‘For god’s sake, stay away!’

‘You little bitch,’ he growls as he gets to his feet, his eyes on me with a hunger for hurt. ‘You’ll pay for that.’

‘I didn’t mean it. Just stop, Hendrix. You’re making it worse!’

Hendrix is back on his feet and running towards me. I use my magic and pin him to the wall lifting him off the ground with nothing more than a slight twitch of my hand. He grabs at his throat, struggling for air.

‘STAY AWAY!’ I scream. ‘WHY WON’T YOU LISTEN! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?’

My feet come out from under me, and I slam sideways onto the floor which releases Hendrix from my hold.

‘ENOUGH!’ Grayson orders. He holds his arms up between us. ‘Stand down, Hendrix. Lilly, get yourself under control. NOW! I don’t want to hurt you, but I won’t have you killing my men. Now calm-’

I lift my hand and send Grayson flying backwards as I get back on my feet.

‘Don’t you dare tell me to calm down,’ I warn as I create my fire in my palm. ‘John grabbed me, and that animal wants to hurt me. I see how he keeps looking at me. He wants to bite me!’ I point at Hendrix and John in turn. ‘NO ONE TOUCHES ME! NOT ANYMORE.’ I mean it, more than anything.

Gabriel’s helping his brother get to his feet, but Grayson’s eyes don’t leave me for a second.

‘You need to stop,’ Grayson warns. ‘Calm down before you hurt someone.’

I stand firm, unsure what the hell to do. Everyone’s watching me nervously and looking ready to attack.

Grayson creates lightning on his hand in response to my fire. He’s ready to fight me if he must. I know it.

Gabriel steps between us with his arms raised.

‘Please…both of you!’ he urges as he looks at Grayson. ‘She’s frightened and angry. She didn’t mean to lash out at you.’ He turns back to me. ‘Did you, Lilly?’ He glances at my hand that still has a fireball ready to fly at Grayson if he so much as twitches. ‘Stop,’ he mouths, nodding at the fire.

‘It was him!’ Amara yells, running towards us from the kitchen and pointing at John. ‘He was all over her in the kitchen and wouldn’t let her leave.’

‘Liar!’ John insists. ‘The bitch kicked me in the nuts as I was getting a glass of water! She’s mental! She threatened to slit my throat cos I said she was pretty!’

‘Mental?! I’m not fucking mental!’ I spit back. ‘I’ll do more than slit your throat if you touch me again!’

‘She came onto me! I swear, Grayson…she was all over me-’

‘LYING PIECE OF SHIT!’ I go for him, but Gabriel takes my arm and stops me.

‘Put the fire out,’ he says quietly in my ear.

‘He’s lying!’ I insist. ‘I didn’t come on to him! I didn’t threaten to kill him!’

‘Think about what you’re doing! Grayson will not let this carry on for much longer.’

I look past him. Grayson’s jaw is clenched and twitching. His lightning still crawling over his hands.

‘Put out your fire, Lilly,’ he urges once more in my ear.

What the hell have I done? Facing off to Grayson, am I insane? He’s let me into his home, looked after me. Never mind the fact that he’s dangerous. I put out my fire and step behind Gabriel slightly.

‘I’m sorry,’ I say pathetically. ‘I’m really sorry.’

He slides his hand into mine, and I grip it tightly just as Grayson charges towards me. Gabriel steps in front of me completely, acting as a human shield before Grayson can reach me.

‘I’m not going to hurt her, Gabriel. Jesus,’ Grayson scorns, moving his brother out of the way. ‘She’s bleeding.’

He pulls off his tie and holds it to my neck.

‘The glass cut you. Keep the pressure on it.’

As he holds his tie against the cut, he won’t look me in the eye. When he finally does, I see such anger in them it makes me cold.

‘I’m sorry, please don’t be mad. I panicked. I shouldn’t have used my magic against you like that.’

‘No, you shouldn’t have. It was a stupid, petulant reaction.’

‘John’s lying, I didn’t-’

He raises his hand, silencing me. ‘I don’t want to hear it,’ he tells me. Those dark eyes are angry, so I do as I’m told and remain quiet. He puts my hand on the tie. ‘Keep the pressure on it, Lilly. And stay with Gabriel. No more magic. You hear me?’

‘I hear you.’

He lets go and helps John back to his feet. ‘I’m sorry, John. Did she hurt you?’ He’s taking his side. Of course he would. Especially after I almost burnt his house down yesterday.

‘I’ll be fine, sir,’ John sighs, smoothing down his wrinkled suit. ‘I had no idea she was a witch. I apologise.’

‘So, tell me. What happened? She threatened you?’

‘Yes, sir. I was just getting a glass of water-’

‘He’s lying!’ I argue.

‘Lilly,’ Grayson warns darkly. ‘Quiet. Carry on, John.’

‘I just said she was pretty. And she threatened to slit my throat if I so much as looked at her. She left. I was on my way back to your office. And she attacked me.’ The corner of his mouth twitches as he lies through his teeth, and his eyes look smugly in my direction.

Grayson slides his hand in his pockets and looks between me and John.

‘One of you is lying to me. And you both know my standing on liars. Especially when they are standing in my home speaking them to my face. Who is lying to me?’

‘She is!’

‘He is!’

He glares between us, hands still stowed and a disingenuous smile on his face. One that certainly doesn’t reach his eyes.

‘Gabriel?’ Grayson looks at his brother who still stands beside me.

‘Yes, Grayson?’ Gabriel replies.

‘Make sure Lilly stays exactly where she is. You understand me?’

With a nod, Gabriel looks down at me. His eyes blacken.

‘No, please, don’t-’

‘Stay by my side, Lilly Hooper,’ he orders. As Grayson turns his back to us, he leans into my ear. ‘Trust me,’ he whispers. ‘Please. Just trust me.’ He waits and I give a slight nod even though I hate that he’s taken control of me. I slide my hand into his and grip it tightly, giving him my trust. And he grips me back just as tight knowing that he has it.

‘I know you are the liar,’ Grayson tells John. ‘She has a phobia of touch. Didn’t know that, did you? So, why the hell would she be all over a grubby little man like you?’ he demands. I let out a relieved breath. He believes me after all.

‘I did nothing-’

‘Amara and Lilly both said that you grabbed her. I believe those two girls over you any day. Is that how you treat women? You grab them without their consent?’

‘I didn’t-’

‘No means no, John. You know what happens to members of my coven who break that rule. You have left me with no choice.’

John lowers his head and falls to his knees. With his hands together and his head bowed as low as it will go, John starts begging.

‘Please. Forgive me, sir. I’m sorry.’

‘You think I care if you’re sorry? You come into my house, touch what’s mine, lie to my face-’

‘She didn’t tell me she was yours! If I’d known I would never have approached her.’

What? I’m not his!

‘Well, now you know.’ Grayson grabs John by his throat and pulls him to his feet, squeezing so tight his face starts to go purple.

‘Stop it!’ I plead. Gabriel’s compulsion makes it impossible to move but it doesn’t keep me quiet. ‘Please, Grayson, don’t!’

John’s eyes begin to bulge, the veins in his neck rise to the surface and all he can do is claw at Grayson’s hands trying desperately to prize his fingers from his throat, but it’s all pointless.

‘GRAYSON!’ I scream. ‘STOP! PLEASE! YOU’RE KILLING HIM!’

‘No one touches her. Ever.’ He sends his lightning through him making John violently judder, his feet an inch from the ground. The poor man wets himself.

‘Grayson,’ I snarl. ‘Stop now or I swear to god I will leave this house and NEVER come back.’

Grayson lets him go with a shove and stands over him, straightening his cuffs as John sobs at his feet.

‘Touch her again, or any woman, you will not be this lucky again. Am I clear?’

‘Y-yes sir. Thank y-you, sir,’ he stammers with a raspy voice.

The two men that came with John scoop him up from the floor. Their heads are bowed and their eyes firmly on the floor.

‘Malcolm, I suggest you chose your subordinates more carefully in future. I will not tolerate that kind of behaviour inside my Coven. Am I clear?’ Grayson says firmly.

‘Yes, sir. I’m sorry,’ the dark haired one says, glaring at me with hatred.

‘Good. Your plane leaves in two hours. You have your tickets. We will meet again in two weeks when you get back.’ He walks over to them and shakes each of their hands. ‘I want the Hooper boy found and believe me when I say failure is not an option. Italy is lovely this time of year. Tim. Malcolm. It was good to meet you. Have a lovely rest of the day, won’t you.’

Tim, Malcolm and John are shown out by Collins. I hear the door close, and Grayson turns to me.

‘You look angry, Miss Hooper,’ Grayson smirks. ‘Care to tell me why?’

‘You nearly killed him,’ I say through gritted teeth. ‘Are you crazy?’

‘He touched you and you reacted with your magic. Tell me…how much of that was intended and how much was a reaction? You think it is acceptable for you to send glass in all directions and slam people into walls? You could have slit your throat! Never mind the fact you almost burnt my house down last night. I did what I did to make sure you feel safe in this house. He won’t dare touch you again. No man will.’

‘Does that go for you too?’ I reply defiantly.

He storms up to me fast, his face right in mine as his eye twitches in utter anger. My feet don’t move. They can’t. Gabriel’s compelled me to stay by his side.

‘You can’t behave this way, Lilly. You can’t talk to me with disrespect. I won’t have it.’

‘And I won’t be claimed by you. I am not yours. I am not your girl. And I am not your witch.’

‘You are in my house. You are in my care.’ He’s angry. Really angry. But so am I.

‘You tortured him. You were going to kill him. I don’t want that kind of care.’

Grayson looks at me and pinches the bridge of his nose while closing his eyes.

‘I know you have been through a lot. And I am trying really hard not to lose my temper with you. But if you say one more thing to me, I swear, I will not be held responsible for my actions.’

‘You have no idea what I’ve been through…none.’

‘Lilly. Just stop talking,’ Gabriel warns. But I don’t care.

‘Yes, Lilly. Stop talking,’ Grayson says.

‘You know what? Fuck this. I can’t go through this again. Another man telling me what to do. How to behave. Gabriel, remove your compulsion. I want to leave.’

‘Don’t you dare, Gabriel. Tell her to go to her room.’

‘You send me to my room, that’s kidnapping. Gabriel, let me go.’

‘Gabriel…send her to her room!’

‘Screw you, Grayson. You can’t do this.’

The room’s reacting to my anger. The debris all over the floor’s jumping around us.

‘You think you can talk to me how you please?’

‘You think you can claim me as your property? Keep me here against my will?’

‘Lilly, please. Calm down.’ Gabriel’s getting more worried. A series of thuds from Grayson’s office tells me my magic is getting beyond my control as his books start flying off the shelves.

‘You need to calm down, Lilly,’ Grayson warns pointing his finger at me and taking a step forward.

‘You need to fuck off,’ I reply taking a similar step.

‘Lilly, please-’ Gabriel calls.

‘I’m trying to be patient with you. I know you have had a difficult time. But you will not talk to me this way. And you will not leave.’

‘Try and stop me.’ My fire erupts on my hand. ‘You don’t own me. No one owns me.’ I raise my arm, ready to attack. ‘You dare touch me, and I’ll kill you where you stand.’

‘LILLY!’ Gabriel shouts spinning me round. ‘STOP! NOW!’

‘GET OFF ME!’ I shove him away. He staggers back, but my magic…it’s beyond my control and one of the metal pokers from the fireplace behind him shoots across the room and impales him straight through the stomach. Everything around me seems to start moving in slow motion. I hear the shouting of the men around me but pay no attention to them. Gabriel looks down at the metal rod that’s gone straight through his body before stumbling back and falling to his knees. He looks up at me with a look of such betrayal and confusion.

No! Oh please no!

I stand speechless, paralysed by shock and horror as he just stares at me.

What the hell have I done?

I don’t get a chance to help him, to say a word, to do anything at all before I’m spun around and Grayson’s fist slams into my face knocking me out cold.