All I could imagine was my aunt and cousin, torn to shreds, and me arriving too late to find their faces blank and their eyes staring. My hands slipped on the steering wheel, slick with sweat. I wiped silent tears of frustration from my cheeks, reminded constantly of my injured upper arm, which had turned purple and black and throbbed painfully.
I drove along the lonely winding roads in the darkness, unaware of my actions; I couldn't face the thought of not getting there in time. I decided it was time to screw the speed limit, and put the pedal to the metal. Carlos had opened my eyes to a new reality, he'd protected me and been a true friend in the short time we'd spent together. He'd believed in my magic - even saved me from certain death - it was my duty to save him now the tables were turned.
The signage for Whitby was soon illuminated in my car headlights; most of the narrow, cobbled roads and paths were gripped by deathly silence. The town's residents were sleeping safe and sound, unaware of the danger in their midst. Familiar, quaint old buildings lined the streets, stacked up behind each other along the hilly landscape and coming to a head at the docks.
Fishing boats and private yachts floated next to each other on the glistening, still water as it reflected the moonlight. Crab nets were stacked one on top of the other on the concrete ground and a few seagulls were circling overhead.
Helena's mansion was visible a short distance away from the crumbling old Abbey; I flung myself around each corner, actually leaving the road at one point as I zoomed over a bump and landed a moment later.
After a while, I was forced to slow my speed due to the lack of street lamps; I inched my car through crowded, six foot tall bushes either side of the road until I reached Helena's front gate. My tires finally crunched to a stop on the gravel driveway in front of my old family home.
Jameson and Peter had left the front gates wide open, and their car was parked at an angle in the middle of them. With shaking palms, I pulled out the car keys and ran to inspect the vehicle. The doors stood open, and a pool of black liquid slowly leaked out of the passenger's side, dripping in a curving line towards the house.
A moment passed before it dawned on me; the liquid was the remnant of what Carlos had consumed from the bags I bought him, blood that had been running in his own veins, blood which was now wasted on the gravel driveway. He was hurt badly; a distant wail sounded from somewhere within the mansion.
I sucked in a deep breath as relief flooded my body; there was still time. My left arm still twinged painfully. After a moment of deliberation I crouched down at the pool of blood and dipped two fingers into it.
I squeezed my eyes shut as I brought them to my lips, ready to steel myself against the vile taste. A surprisingly sweet flavour trickled over my tongue; the moment it flushed down my throat my bones and muscles began to mend.
In a matter of seconds, the bruises disappeared and the bones cracked back into place. My torn muscles repaired themselves and I sighed with relief as the pain dissipated. There was no time to be in awe of the fact. I abandoned the car park and sprinted towards the front door, which had also been left wide open. Bright light flooded out of the entrance hall, momentarily blinding me.
"Aunt Helena?"
I called, my eyes darting around pristine red painted walls and gold gilding along the staircase, looking for any signs that would suggest a struggle.
"Kitty?"
The only sound that issued in turn was the pained cries echoing from somewhere below.
They're in the wine cellar...
I realised. Desperation gripped me like a crushing serpent; I made a beeline for the wooden hatch in the kitchen floor. Unclasping the latch, I heaved the thick lid of wood up and over; blackness cloaked the concrete steps leading down there.
![[BL] The Heavenly Master of Earning Money [Crossing Book] (Part 02) by murasaki-black](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/355330631-80-k827372.jpg)
With no access to a light switch, I turned on my phone torch and descended the steep stairs which led to a subterranean, freezing room full of barrels, kegs and wooden crates, each peppered with dust. It was a large space, but made to look smaller by the amount of product that was in there.
"Carlos? It's me!"
I hissed, swinging my phone around, hoping and dreading what it's beaming light would find.
Muffled cries sounded from one of the corners and I jerked in its direction. Carlos was tied to a wooden chair, gagged and bleeding.
It was a wonder that he could keep his head up, let alone cry out. I rushed over and pulled off the blue cloth that had been viciously wrapped around his mouth.
"Ailana......you must......you must leave."
His dark pupils rolled in his head, his skin was paler than ever, tinted green around the underside of his eyes. The sticky black blood I'd found outside was still oozing from his neck.
It looked as if either James or Pete had gone to town on him with their teeth. I attempted to hastily untie the ropes that bound his arms around the back of the chair.
"They're soaked in some kind of binding potion, I cannot escape without the help of a witch."
He told me; his voice was ragged and low, showing the pain and effort it took just to speak to me.
"It's your lucky day then, innit?"
I replied evenly, though I didn't feel lucky in the slightest.
"You need blood, you can drink mine but you need to be quick-"
"Ailana you don't.....understand, it's not...."
He trailed off; his head lolled over his chest in a disturbing, unnatural way.
"Carlos we don't have time mate! I've got to save my family from those psychos so drink up and get on with it."
I shoved my wrist in his mouth without waiting for a reply and felt his jaws crush down on my bones. Four, needle-like stabs into my veins made me gasp. I felt dizzy. It didn't take long for my legs to get pins and needles, but before I could black out the pain stopped.
Carlos pulled away with a feral growl; I grabbed the chair for momentary support, watching as my blood healed his wounds, then I went back to work feverishly on the ropes.
"Carlos, I think I'm nearly do-AHHH!"
From out of nowhere a hand grabbed me, jerked backwards and sent me crashing into a pile of boxes. Bottles of wine smashed around my body and their scattered shards dug painfully into my back. I wailed in pain as Jameson stood over me, his eyes alive with malice and greed above flaring nostrils, while fresh blood poured from the wounds in my back.
"Why are you doing this?"
I squeaked, unable to think of anything else. He scrunched his face up into a mock wounded expression.
"Why are we doing this? So that my clan can finally lay hands on a spell which would enable us to walk in the sun, that's why. And I will not be allowing a frail, pathetic teenage witch to get in my way."
Without warning, Jameson grabbed my arm and yanked me forward; the reeking smell of rotten meat clouded his breath, flecks of tinged red spittle oozed in the corners of his mouth. His eyes were wide, unblinking - he looked insane.
He opened his mouth wide, his fangs glinted in what little light there was and I knew within moments, they would pierce my skin. Behind us, Carlos had freed himself from his prison and now came at Jameson like a bullet train.
