Witching Tree (Alice Gray Book 1)

42

                 
A tall man with long brown hair walked out of the dead arbour, turning to inspect the destruction without so much as a glance in my direction.

I'd had enough practice with these games over the last two days to know the score.

I waited.

Taking his time, he paced from one side to the other, before reaching out, pausing and then deliberately touching one of the evil-looking thorns that covered the wooden structure.

We both watched the crimson drop well from the cut on his finger.

His hazel eyes met mine as the drop formed and then fell. The moment that it left his body the arbour disappeared. The large drop of blood fell onto the lush grass where it had stood, bouncing up in smaller droplets before absorbing into the bright green lawn.

"It was a bit showy, I suppose, but who would have thought that your skills included manipulation?"

The man lifted one eyebrow at me, as though I should be able to answer his question.

But his speech hardly registered, nor did his unusual outfit of a floor length silver robe, crossed over his broad chest and tied around the waist with a blue silk cord.

No, what made my eyes bulge painfully out of my head and my mouth gape was the bright silver that surrounded him. A life-force stronger than anything that I had seen before.

I took a step forward as my hand gravitated up. The overwhelming urge to touch the silver, to draw it into me filled my head.

The chimes cackled in agreement.

My hand reached out to the man, the silver of my own life-force growing bright, eager to meet the more powerful energy surrounding him.

"Alice, it's so good to finally meet you in person," he said, the sharp tone and clipped words betraying his friendly greeting

My head snapped up, breaking the spell. Heat shocked through me as I realised that I'd just betrayed myself. His eyes burnt into me, fury bright as the green in his hazel eyes suffused the brown. I pressed my arms to my sides.

He prowled forward with the power and grace of a man who knew how to fight.

The sweet, coppery smell of death left by the destroyed arbour festered in the heat around us, reminding me of what this guy could do.

"You have me at a disadvantage," I said, unable to keep the tremor out of my voice. Power was emanating from his life-force, and I didn't want to find out what he could do with it.

"Why child, there's no need to fear. I'm Jonathan Device, your father," he said, as though it was an obvious fact.

"You can't be, he's dead," I replied, with a certainty that was swiftly crumbling.

"No, your mother's boyfriend is dead."

Flecks of green shone in Jonathan's eyes, a twist of his mouth smoothed out before it had chance to form a grimace.

"I am your father."

There seemed little point in arguing. He was obviously mad.

"What do you want from me?"

"Only to offer you a home. You belong with me, you have no-one else," Jonathan said, with an arrogant finality that raised my hackles.

His research was clearly not up to date. I had more people claiming me now, then ever in my past. But there was no need for him to know that. I'd already given up too much. Time to play along.

"Why now?"

"It took me a long time to find you, Alice. I have been content to watch, but now other forces have begun to interfere. I have brought you here for your own safety."

"Excuse me if I find that difficult to believe."

The revelations of the last few days had been disruptive enough to my world view, but I would gladly take a handsome vampire and a hired protective detail over an unwanted patriarch who could manipulate the world around me.

If this guy really was my father, why was I just finding out about it now? I was twenty-five years old, and this was not the first time that I had needed help.

"I've hardly been safe since coming here," I said, gesturing to my lip.

My patience was running thin, but so was his.

A ripple ran over the landscape. Jonathan's eyes flashed green, fury pouring out of them. Silver blazed as his life-force expanded, reaching so close to me that I could taste its energy, sweet and rich. My body angled towards the power, trying to make the connection.

Jonathan's features smoothed out, eyes a calm pale brown again. The silver life-force snapped back to him, creating a tight silver band around his form.

A shudder wracked my body, jolting me forward as the loss of it engulfed me. After coming so close, the hollowness was painful. I had to swallow my discomfort before he noticed.

"That was a mistake, I admit. I had not realised how strong the attraction was. How quickly they would lose their minds. It will just be us now. You have nothing to fear from me."

"I had nothing to fear before you brought me here."

The ripple undulated over the rolling hills, moving towards us in a wave gathering speed. Behind it an alternate scene intruded: a view of low tables and seating in a warmly lit room. A bright tree mosaic pulsed on the tiled floor.

"Enough," Jonathan bellowed.

The air heated in response to his mounting anger. The edges of my field of vision shimmered uncontrollably. Voices chanted in low rhythmic tones; an incantation in old English language. It was warm and familiar. I felt its intent.

Somebody was coming to get me.

"I said, enough."

This time his voice was calm and controlled. The ripple smoothed out. The air was cool and pleasant. There was a fragrant smell, and when I looked up, the arbour was standing in all its blooming glory. A pleasant sensation of soft grass was under my feet, the breeze swirled in my hair.

I looked up, lost for a moment in a kind of relief from the stress of it all. Things weren't really that bad here. Maybe I could stay after all. When I met Jonathan's eyes, kindness and warmth looked back at me.