Unbound Witch Read online

  Unbound Witch

  Kiesha Thomas

  Contents

  1. Chaniya

  2. Zarin

  3. Cosima

  4. Chaniya

  5. Zarin

  6. Cosima

  7. Chaniya

  8. Cosima

  9. Chaniya

  10. Cosima

  About the Author

  Also by Kiesha Thomas

  Acknowledgments

  Chaniya

  My nose bled like a busted faucet. I can’t keep this protective force field much longer. The students came out here to deal with me, as if I was a threat. The strength left my muscles and I sank to my knees. Sharp pain stabbed through my eyes as multiple blood vessels burst. Blood pooled in my eyes causing the crimson liquid to run down my cheek, and my vision blurred.

  Nora was like a cancerous tumor that multiplied billions of cells and mutated in an unsuspecting host. It didn’t matter what we did, s emerged on top. I never gave much thought to how I would die. I knew it was just a matter of time before my karma would catch up to me. Dying on my knees in front of Nora, wasn’t something I had envisioned either.

  She killed daddy. She must die.

  “Chaniya, don’t protect us. She will kill you,” said Luc. He stood there like a statue, before he was a blur of motion.

  Luc sent four arrows whirling through the air at once. He acted like a mad man. He fought, reckless and desperate. I bit down on my lower lip until I tasted blood on my tongue. He wasn’t even protecting his back. It was like he gave up when he saw me on my knees. Zarin transformed in seconds protecting Luc’s back clawing and biting the heads off mages. The carnage was devastating and there were casualties on both sides.

  I pushed past the pain and stood glaring Nora in the eye. This will end now. Closing my eyes, I channeled all my strength. My mind shut down and I thought of the last images I wished to see. Images of daddy and Cosima flooded my mind. She and I had not been close since I had been bullied and attacked. I hadn’t told her that I loved her since mom died. I thought I wasn’t capable of the emotion.

  Mom said that actions spoke louder than words and that words without deeds meant nothing. My deeds today will show everyone, once and for all, how I feel about them; and where my loyalty lied.

  My actions toward Luc had been abhorrent.

  If I could, I would go back and do things differently with him. He would always be the only man in my heart. A fleeting glance in his direction, showed both of his legs impaled with an arrow in each. Zarin’s hairy chest was bleeding with several broken arrows sticking out. Flexing my fingertips, I took two steps toward Nora increasing the protection of the students. My actions left the academy vulnerable, but what difference does the building make if the students are dead? Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Cosima.

  Nora smiled. Her eyes gleamed mischievously, and I knew that she had something up her sleeve. “Dang, what will it take to kill this witch?”

  The demon behind her, bounced from one foot to the other, joy transfixed on his beautiful face as angels and vampires alike fell dead before his feet. He handed Nora a rocket launcher then bent to pick up one of his own. We were screwed. She blew me a kiss goodbye, pointed the rocket launcher at me and fired. The demon fired his rockets at the school. Luc stopped fighting and ran in front of me.

  The rocket shot through the air headed towards me. Once the rocket detonated the school and everyone around me would be dead.

  I looked at Luc’s blood-soaked clothes. I was humbled at how he stood in front of me willingly laying down his life. He never looked more beautiful as he did then. I can’t change the path I took in life, but I can right one wrong now.

  Looking deep in his eyes, I said the words that flowed in my heart since the day I met him. “I love you, Luc. Please forgive me.”

  He smiled. “Sweetheart, there is nothing to forgive.”

  Placing my right hand, in front of him, I sent him flying away from certain death.

  Cosima ran in front of me, arms raised toward the rockets, and fell to her knees with her eyes closed. Suddenly, the panels on the sides of the rockets fell apart, and a spark flashed before they crumpled to the ground in pieces. Blood squirted from Cosima’s mouth and eyes and she slumped to the ground.

  She wasn’t breathing. The color left her face and her spirit rose and ascended toward the sky, where Valcrum awaited her.

  “No. Cosima, please don’t die. Valcrum take me instead.”

  Strong arms wrapped around me, but I fought like a cornered cat. “Get your hands off me. I can’t lose her too.”

  I woke up in one of the academy bedrooms. I was grateful they did not place me in my old bedroom. I was not sure that I would be able to stomach being in that room. I sat up and leaned against the headboard. Nora was still alive, yet my sister was dead. It always baffled me how she would tackle any problem by grabbing it like a bull by the horns. In some ways, I wished I had her tenacity and zeal for life. Mom taught us that Valcrum was a fair, and just God. Why did he take Cosima? She lived her life according to his rules and always did what she thought he wanted her to do. Why had he taken her? Why not spare her and take me?

  The bedroom door opened and Luc walked inside holding a cup of tea. He walked stiffly and some of the gray bandages poked out of his clothes. I’m glad someone patched up his injuries.

  He placed the tray with the tea on the nightstand, then he sat on the end of the bed. “I brought you some tea.”

  I smiled but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. “Thank you but I am not thirsty right now.”

  He sighed. “I know that you have had to endure a lot lately, but you don’t have to do it alone. I am here for you.”

  Luc got to his feet and walked to the door. He paused and turned around toward me. “When Nora launched the rockets at you, I thought you said something to me, but I don’t know if you said it or if I imagined that you said it.”

  The flash of vulnerability that crossed his face made a hard knot form in my lower belly. I told myself that I would do things differently if I could. “I said, I love you.”

  A bright smile transformed his face. “I love you too. Don’t you ever send me away from you like that again. I won’t forgive you, if something happened to you and I wasn’t there.”

  I frowned. “You would send me away if you could.”

  He shrugged. “That was not the point.” He closed the door behind him.

  It had been four days since I had left the room. I was not sure why people came to check on me like we were one big happy family, but it helped. I guess a part of me needed it and they were smart enough to know it. Everyone that doubted my loyalty, apologized and I didn’t blame them for doing it. But, I needed to leave. Nora must be stopped. Flinging the bedroom door open, I emerged ready to go and kill Nora. I’ll worry about what I needed to do next, if I survived.

  My stomach growled, so I headed toward the cafeteria. The place was packed. At least the line wasn’t long. I realized I would never be able to eat with my sister again. My fingers restlessly drummed on my pants leg while I waited behind a group of girls that chatted loudly about new guys at the school. Passing by the mirror, I noticed my face was reddened with puffy eyes and a splotchy face. It was official. I looked like death sucking on a popsicle.

  The guy that fought alongside Cosima, and the person I thought fell over the mountain with them, waltzed up to me. “I heard about Cosima, I’m sorry.”

  I stared down at my hands, until I regained my composure. “Thanks. I’m sorry about what happened to your mom also.”

  He flinched and turned to stare ahead. “I’m going to kill Olga for what she did.”

  “I’m sorry. I killed her that night. I didn’t know she was working with Nora,
giving her special powers through her DNA. I’m sorry. I was just lost, caught up in my own self.” I moved up in the line. My body was hungry, but my mind had already checked out.

  He extended his hand to me. “Your sister had a special aura about her. Do not fret. All is not lost. Valcrum can decide that he needs her here to protect his people. She has proven to him that she would do whatever necessary to protect them, even to her own detriment.”

  I lifted my chin. I was proud of Cosima, and in my heart, I knew that dad would have been proud of her too. “Cosima always did what was in the best interest of others. She was a giver.”

  Grabbing a grilled cheese sandwich and a fruit cup I hurried down the line to get a large bottle of water because my throat was desert dry. I can’t kick butt if I’m dehydrated. Walking to the empty table I sat down. Looking around the cafeteria, I noticed that Luc and Zarin weren’t there. I had to speak with Luc before I left. John sat next to me. He was a huge guy, but he didn’t have much food on his plate. The recent events had brought everyone’s spirits down.

  I plastered a smile on my face. “I hoped Valcrum would send Cosima back to me. I haven’t stopped praying since it happened. I was never big on prayer, but I’ve changed.”

  He nodded. “If he doesn’t, then the only way she could come back is if Zena included her as part of her tribe.”

  My breath hitched. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. For the first time since it happened, I had hope. A light sensation traveled through me like a flower opening its petals for the morning dew. I was determined to see this through. I wasn’t certain who Zena was, but I was determined to convince her that Cosima should be a part of her tribe.

  There was another way that Cosima might live.

  “I would convince Zena that she needed Cosima.”

  Zarin

  I have never been the kind of guy that was smart, but I figured out that Valencia was talking about Cosima, and how she was good for me. How did she get underneath my skin without my noticing? I had vowed never to give my heart to another woman, after Valencia died. Cosima, like a thief in the night, stole my heart just the same.

  How come my heart keeps getting broken? Valcrum have mercy on me, please.

  Raking my fingers through my hair, I forced myself out of bed. I’m sweaty and restless, so I should just go take a bath. I should have checked on Chaniya. Cosima would've wanted me to take care of her sister. My lips curved at the thought. Luc would gut me and hang me from the nearest tree by my entrails if I tried to take care of Chaniya.

  The pounding on my door forced me back to reality. A second later, Luc waltzed in the room. His gait was off a bit, which meant that he was still mending from his wounds. This was one time that I wished I hadn’t healed so quickly. I wanted to be numb but that wouldn’t change what happened.

  Luc pulled the chair out and sat at the desk. “How are you holding up?”

  Turning away from the window, I stared at him. “I can’t believe that she’s gone.”

  “Chaniya was a mess the last time I saw her, and she asked me for space, so I’m trying to be patient.”

  I nodded. Chaniya was reckless and impulsive. “She has you, therefore she will be fine.”

  Luc looked at the bed and then at me. “I’m here for you. You look a mess, maybe you should get cleaned up.”

  “Thanks man. I appreciate it.”

  Being summoned to Liam’s office wasn’t a good sign. Breathing deeply, I forced myself to stop staring at the chair next to me. The last time I was here Cosima was sitting there right next to me. I shook my head and focused myself to the present. Trying to move on was hard.

  Cade walked into the office. “I’m sorry for your loss, Zarin. I know what Cosima meant to you.”

  The sharp pain stabbed in my chest and I swallowed the hard lump in my throat. I opened my mouth but words wouldn’t come out. I nodded at him and turned towards the window. I needed a war. A distraction from the emptiness that threatened to swallow me whole.

  I never knew I had come back to life, but now that she’s gone all I see is darkness again. She had brought light into my life.

  Liam walked through the door and dragged a badly beaten boy behind him. I thought he might be dead but the occasional grunt and wincing meant he lived.

  Turning to Luc, I mouthed, “Who is that?” He shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward ready to fight. The boy looked like he had been beaten half to death. His face was distorted and black marks marred his fair skin. Both of his eyes were blackened, his nose was broken and his lips were swollen. Whoever he was, he probably wished he was dead.

  Liam tossed him a foot away from us and leaned against his desk. “Guys, you remember that Chaniya was assaulted. This is Nick Emerson, just one of the guys responsible for the attack. The other five guys have been punished.”

  Luc drew in a sharp breath. His face had lost all its color and appeared ashen. We didn’t know the extent of Chaniya’s attack but we had a good clue. The fact that it took five men to attack a woman is unforgivable.

  Luc’s face reddened, and his nostrils flared. He jumped to his feet and advanced on Nick, but Cade caught him by the waist. “Don’t kill him. He has information you’ll want to hear.”

  Luc ground his teeth. “After that, he dies slowly.” He pushed Cade off him and stalked back to his seat.

  Valcrum help us. Why are scumbags like Nick Emerson still alive?

  I cracked my knuckles. I knew whatever this jerk said wasn’t going to be tolerated. He shouldn’t be alive, but whatever he knew had been enough to stay Liam’s hand. “What information is so valuable that he still lives. This is unfathomable.”

  Liam ran his fingers through his hair. “Nick said that Brad Johnson was the mastermind behind Chaniya’s attack. Brad wasn’t just against the witches. He had formed an alliance with Trevor asking the demons to spare his life, once they had destroyed the vampires and tainted the angels.”

  Brad had been very busy. What made him think Trevor would honor any alliance he made with him?

  “Trevor had turned on Valcrum. Brad was stupid enough to think that Trevor would honor any alliance with him. Does he think he is better than Valcrum?” My mouth fell open. Brad wasn’t just a bully he was stupid.

  Luc drew two arrows and sent them flying before I knew what happened. The arrows whizzed by my head, one struck Nick in the heart and the other lodged in his forehead.

  Liam flew to Luc and slammed him against the wall. “Dang-it Luc!”

  “We did not get the chance to question Nick about everything. We still don’t know what Trevor is up to.”

  Jumping to my feet, I stared up at Liam. His lips were curled into a snarl. He looked like he was ready to kill Luc. His hand curled around Luc’s neck and Luc’s face lost its color. He had cut off Luc’s air. Liam was ruthless and there were reasons why nobody sought Liam’s temper.

  “I will go and find out what Trevor is up to. There’s a chance that Nick held information from us. We couldn’t trust him.”

  Liam released Luc’s neck and threw him aside. “Take Luc with you and bring back Brad. He will pay for his actions.”

  Luc’s breath came out in loud short burst as he scrambled to his feet. “Are you going to kill Brad?”

  Liam advanced toward Luc, but Cade grabbed his arm. “I was wondering if you were going to kill him too or will Chaniya be allowed to seek justice for the wrongs that had been dealt to her.”

  Liam glanced down at Cade’s hand on his arm. Cade dropped his arm and stepped back.

  Liam sighed. “Justice belonged to us all, but it will be granted to Chaniya. She has suffered more than any woman should. Her right to spill his blood like he spilled hers will not be denied.”

  I grabbed Luc’s arm and ushered him toward the door. My friend didn’t seem to care that he was about to die. When I stared into his eyes, they were cold and empty. He was livid. I don’t blame him.

  How did he think he could take care of Chaniya if he was dea
d?

  I pushed Luc in front of me. He was staring Liam down, and I felt waves of anger. Bending to his ear so only he would hear me I muttered, “You can’t take care of Chaniya if you are dead, and don’t look at me. She is a stubborn brat.”

  “Fine. I’m not sorry about Nick, and Brad might still be killed.”

  My temples throbbed. This was going to be a long journey and possibly an impossible one. How was I supposed to keep Luc from killing Brad?

  “One more thing. Luc, if Brad is killed by you before I’ve questioned him, you will be kicked out of the academy. I’ll probably kill you too. Therefore, if you love Chaniya, you had better think before you act next time. Think of her.”

  Pushing Luc through the door, I closed it behind me. My head felt like an axe was buried in it and I knew the mission was going to be emotionally draining.

  “Luc take a nap. You should go to see Chaniya before we leave and spend some time with her.”

  “Seeing her won’t calm me.”

  “It won’t but it might remind you that she needs you. One of her problems is that she thinks she must be strong all the time. She doesn’t because she has you.”

  It had been an hour; Luc’s disposition hadn’t changed much. The cover of night was always a deadly thing. I glanced over at Luc. He hadn’t spoken since we left the academy. His head needed to be on the mission, because there was a good chance we won’t survive. Trevor and the shape shifting demons seemed to be one step ahead of us all the time. If they rose against Valcrum, they would do anything to accomplish their goal here on earth.

  “Luc, I need your head to be in the game. These demons can kill us easily. If they find us, we are dead.”