“Let’s go.” Gillian did her best to look nonchalant while she practically dragged Brooke from the great room and down the length of the hall, hoping and praying no one would stop them. Luckily, the hallway was empty. All of the security guards seemed to have rushed to the area where the fight had broken out.
Gillian hurried her pace with her arm linked through Brooke’s. Once she found the door, she turned the glass knob and slammed it shut with a wave of her hand. After Gillian locked it behind her, she turned and let out a gasp. Paneled in red lacquer with white vanities, crystal chandeliers, and huge, silver mirrors, she’d never seen a bathroom this fancy in her life.
“C’mon there must be a make-up area with some chairs.” They pushed through red and gold draperies and entered a sitting area filled with red cushioned benches.
“I don’t feel so good all of a sudden,” Brooke whispered as Gillian sat her down in one of the benches. “I need to go to Kurt. He’ll find me, and neither of us will ever get out of here. I can’t live without his blood. I won’t.” Her head slumped to the side and rested against the wall.
Rushing to the sink, Gillian filled a cup of water, came back, and placed it in her hands. “Drink this, and listen to me, Brooke. Garrett and a group of special agents are going to help us. I’m wearing a mic. They can hear us. They’re going get us out of here and away from Kurt. I will break your blood bond. You just need to listen to me and do what I say.”
Brooke lifted her head and the color drained from her face. Her skin looked as pale as death. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I thought I’d never see you again, Gillian. I know what you’re trying to do, but it’s no use. Leave me while you still can.”
“I’m not leaving you, no matter what.” Gillian fought the rush of tears and took a seat next to Brooke. Wasting no time, she reached for the potion vile, tucked safely in the silk pouch in the pocket of her dress, and set it on the vanity. Once she unsheathed the dagger from her thigh holster, she plunged the tip of the blade into the center of her hand. She winced as blood seeped from the cut and began to flow.
“What are you doing?” Brooke sniffed the air and a savage hunger spread across her face. She leaned into Gillian, her eyes focused on the drops of blood like someone about to savor a tasty meal.
Gillian stopped her by plunging the tip of the blade into her hand and Brooke flinched in pain. “Saje made a potion that will free you from your bond with Kurt forever, but you have to do exactly as I say.” Gillian closed her eyes and focused her mind, willing her magick to call to Brooke’s. Sparks flew from her fingertips and circled above Brooke, surrounding her body in a glowing, white light.
After a few minutes, Brooke jerked upright, becoming more alert. Some of the haze lifted from her eyes. “Help me, Gillie.”
“Brooke.”
“You need to hurry, Gillian. The guards are searching for Brooke. They’ll stop you when you try to escape,” Natalya said in her ear. “We’re trying to send an agent to you now, but we’re outnumbered by Lawrence’s thugs. We’re waiting for the task force to close in. They should be coming through any minute now. Teague will take it from here.”
Without a second to waste, Gillian slapped their hands together and held tight. “Your blood and my blood. We are family, and it’s our blood that’s bonded together.” She opened the top of the potion vial with her free hand and let a few drops of their blood spill inside.
Now came the hard part, getting Brooke to drink every last drop. Gillian racked her brain, trying to figure out a way to get her to open her mouth. She’d have to be quick. She tried not to panic. Then, an idea came to her. Brooke had always been terrified of spiders.
“Don’t move.” Gillian looked up. “There’s a spider web right above your head.”
Brooke opened her mouth to scream and Gillian poured the potion into the back of her throat. Before she could spit it out, Gillian held her cheeks together. “I’m sorry, but this is for your own good.” When she finally swallowed, Gillian chanted the spell.
Everlasting truth, love, and harmony,
I ask the Goddess to break what should no longer be,
Restore the blood from this innocent and set her free,
This is my will, so mote it be.
Gillian chanted the spell over and over again. She pulled Brooke into a hug and waited, hoping and praying for the magick to take hold. After a few minutes, Gillian leaned back and glanced at Brooke, who sat up straight.
“How did you find me?” Brooke blinked as though awakening from a deep sleep.
“I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now we need to find a way to get the hell out of here.” Gillian searched the bathroom and her heart skipped a beat.No window.She paced back and forth, trying to come up with a plan. Her gaze caught on the gold tassels wrapped around the draperies. “I have an idea, but we need to hurry.”
By the time Gillian and Brooke made their way from the bathroom, they looked totally different than when they’d walked in. Switching costumes, Gillian had tossed the black wig in the trash and used her dagger to cut the sleeves and the front of Brooke’s white dress into something resembling a mini toga. She’d taken the gold tassels off the draperies and wrapped them between her boobs and around her waist like a sash. Then, she performed one last bit of magick, weaving a spell to change Brooke’s appearance and her scent.
They headed down the hallway and chaos exploded all around them. Shrieks and screams tore through the air. Cops dressed in riot gear cut through the crowd, pointing what looked like high-powered rifles and silver stakes at the vampires throughout the house. Gillian stole a glance at Brooke, who looked like she’d pass out at any moment. “Don’t make eye contact with anyone.”
They continued toward the back of the house. “We’re out,” she said into her mic and tried to hurry their pace.
Brooke stopped walking and began to shake. “I’m not going to make it, Gillie. You go without me.”
“No. We’re almost there. I’ve got you. Hold onto me.”
“Walk to the terrace and down the steps. Past the lawns, you’ll see a white delivery truck,” Cayden replied. “You’re doing great.”
When they got to the doors to the terrace, the chaos continued there. Police helped the women out of the fray and escorted them into black vans. Gillian and Brooke stayed clear and walked across the long expanse of the patio, past the outdoor couches and Chinese lanterns. Blazing fire pits lit their path to the stone steps.
