Devils Roses 04 - Witch

wall with vines choking her. The redhead appeared out of nowhere and was held against the wall too.
    Lydia’s eyes were solid black. With her long grey hair she looked terrifying. Ophelia felt reality creeping in as her magic faded away. She started to giggle.
    The redhead, whose face was covered in tears, looked at her like she was insane.
    “It was my first time using my magic.”
    The redhead didn’t seem to come around. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the hard brick wall roughly.
    “WHAT DO YOU THREE THINK YOU’RE DOING?” Lydia paced in front of them.
    Giselle pointed with her fingers that she had free toward Ophelia, “They did this. I was just defending my den. I don’t know what the den is for but they were using it like a wrestling ring.”
    “That’s boxing you moron and we saw you take Ophelia out the window. Nice try.” Lorri put her hands on her hips the same way Lydia had. “You’ve left a magical stain in the area. Ophelia your father is looking for you. His people will be able to see this mess. You idiots. This shit is a beacon for them to follow.”
    Lydia sighed and put her face in her hands, “We can disperse it some. The stain will still be in the city but at least they will assume she’s at my house not the vampire queens.”
    Lydia’s eyes looked normal and kind when she pulled her hands away from her face. She looked like it was her heart that was broken when she looked at the redhead, “Hanna. I’m so sorry.”
    The redhead shook her head, “I did this. It’s my fault. I never should have gone. They never taught me anything I couldn’t have figured out from your book.”
    Lydia swallowed hard as her eyes darted at Lorri, “We just thought you would want to know your mother’s family.”
    She nodded, “I did but it’s cost me everything.”
    Lorri looked indignant, “It was the best place for you to learn emergency feeding to stop the need.”
    The redhead looked down, as best as the vines would allow, “It doesn’t matter now. He’s broken the match.”
    Ophelia noticed for the first time the bracelet the girl wore was glowing like a fire burned inside of it. She couldn’t help but feel animosity toward the girl. Something made her dislike her instinctively.
    A whisper filled her mind, ‘It’s her Siren half. All supernatural women naturally dislike her. She is a sweet girl I promise you.’ Ophelia looked at Lydia, who nodded, ‘You will like her if you give her a chance. We need to talk about that spell and Annabelle's plate. I'm very angry Ophelia.’
    Ophelia felt sick. She had used her magic and done a terrible thing. The redhead lost everything because of Ophelia. Ophelia didn’t know the story. She didn’t want to. It would only make things much worse.
    She needed to focus on the important things. She wanted her sister back.
    “I will let the vines release you all but you will apologize to each other. Ophelia it’s safest for you to stay here. Giselle she doesn’t leave the house. Ophelia I am very disappointed in you.”
    Giselle opened her mouth to argue but closed it again as black clouds floated in Lydia’s eyes.
    “Fine."

Chapter Twenty-Two
    Sam

    The pain was overwhelming. Nothing soothed it. He threw up when he tried to eat and passed out from the pain when he tried walking around.
    He felt mortal for the first time.
    His shallow breaths worried him and by the look of it Aimee too.
    “So when did you sell your dad’s house?” He asked hoping for something beyond Hanna filling his mind.
    She shook her head, “I listed it last summer. It sold a month ago. We just closed it.”
    “Have you seen the people who bought it?”
    A subtle smile crept across her lips, “Maybe.”
    “You’ve spied on them?”
    She laughed, “It wasn’t spying. It was checking to make sure they would really love my house. My mother was all over that house. The curtains. The paint. The carpet. All her.”
    “Aimes you have to stop living in the past.”
    “My sister is taken, my mother is dead and my father is living with his mother in France. Easier said than done. You don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
    He looked at her fighting the anger in his words, “My father was one of the fallen. He fell with Lorri. His name was Anthony. He met my mother and they fell in love. He joined ranks with Jonathan because he apparently chose my mother over God. Lorri murdered him when my mom was pregnant with me. She gave birth to me in