Amethyst Flame (Flame 2)

Vaughn moved quickly into the maze. At the first juncture, he gave Emma the directions telepathically, then contacted Brannick in the same way, alerting him they were on the way.

Brannick confirmed that he would meet up with Vaughn and the teens at the back of the guest house. Brannick and his team were less than a minute out, and the night sky was clear of any other alter species in flight.

Vaughn could almost breathe easily now.

The route back to the entrance was circuitous, but the images remained sharp. He moved at a brisk clip, with one eye on those behind him to make sure Emma, Beth and the girls stuck close. The teens seemed to understand they were being ushered to safety, and their intense effort to keep up with Vaughn gave him the confidence to pick up the pace a little more.

Every second counted.

He could also feel the wizard hunting them, the dark nature of the beast spilling his evil intentions throughout the labyrinth. Suddenly, Vaughn grew dizzy and his steps started to slow.

But the next moment, Emma was beside him. She put a hand on his forehead. Loghry has spread a spell through the labyrinth. This should help.

Vaughn’s mind began to clear, enough to engage the images, then the future was blocked again. Emma, you’ll have to take the lead.

He loved that Emma didn’t hesitate. He watched her shift focus, and he saw the moment she’d re-engaged the vision snapshots.

Her voice sped through his mind. Get to the rear. I’ll lead the girls out. We’re almost there, even though the spell makes it feel like we’re miles from the exit door.

Vaughn nodded, then let the girls pass. He saw that Beth was shaking, and he slid his arm around her. He was pretty sure her body was caught in a withdrawal from amethyst flame.

A couple more turns, however, and the dizziness started taking over his mind again. He kept pushing his feet forward, trailing after the last girl, but it wasn’t long before his ankles grew leaden and his mind clouded once more. “Sorry, Beth.”

“I’m feeling it, too. It’s Loghry.”

Vaughn contacted Emma. Loghry’s spell has me. Can’t move. Can’t think. Beth is with me, she’s very sick and the spell has her, as well. Get the girls to Brannick if you can.

I will and Vaughn, I’ll come back to you as fast as I can.

I know you will.

But even as he slumped to the dirt, with Beth falling into his arms, he held his mind and his power open to Emma. He felt in his bones that somehow she’d be able to make use of all that he was as a vampire and return to him.

Beth shook badly now, caught in a severe withdrawal.

Vaughn tried to access Emma’s healing power, but Loghry’s spell prevented him.

Suddenly, Loghry arrived, floating into the space. Vaughn could smell the darkness in him, a stench that turned his stomach. He was tall and levitated as the more powerful spellcasters could. He wore a black fringed scarf wrapped around his neck as well as a black, long-sleeved, leather coat to hide his addiction to amethyst flame.

His eyes were black and sunken, his skin white as chalk, the way Emma had described him from her nightmares. His cheekbones were pronounced and skeletal, his nose slightly bulbous, and his lips thick and violet colored. He barely looked like a man anymore. Maybe he hadn’t been one in a long time. His evil temperament coupled with amethyst flame had given him the appearance of the monster he was.

“I should kill you right now, Officer Vaughn. Your sister with you. But I’ll wait, because first I want you to watch your woman die.”

~ ~ ~

Emma knew what she had to do, but it killed her not to immediately go back for Vaughn and Beth.

Instead, she broke through the final veil of the spell that Loghry had set in place at the exit. Sure enough, the stone stairs leading to the outside appeared right in front of her.

She gestured for the girls to climb the stairs. “Hurry! Go with the men at the top.”

Brannick was right there, urging each forward as well. “Come on, girls. We’ve got you. Let’s get you home.”

He even ran down several steps, picked the first girl up, then levitated her to ground level. He passed her quickly to one of his men, then drew the next forward.

At the base of the stairs, tears filled Emma’s eyes as she watched each girl being carried into the air to safety.

Brannick had the last girl in his arms, but he didn’t take off right away. Where’s Vaughn?