“Almost staked her,” the vampire-witch says, her eyes dark and narrowed in concern. “They missed, luckily, but she’s taking longer to heal. Lydia, can you help?”
“Hold on!” shouts Lydia, but she’s busy keeping the wolves suspended in the air as they rush our small group one by one. Amrita turns to join her, adding her purple energy magic.
“I’ve got it!” Maggie says, crouching beside Hallie. She raises her hands above her and knits her brows in concentration, healing her wounds.
Panting, I shift back into my human form.
“Maggie, June is right,” I say. “Once the vampires and the other wolves join us, they’ll force us back…you should escape while you still can!”
“I’m not leaving you!” she says, her light brown eyes full of passion. “I’ll stay and heal whoever needs it!”
“Once Tudor and the others get here, there might not be anyone left to heal!” June gasps, her loose blond hair whipping in the stir of energy spells. “Professor Vyas and Professor Hall are strong, but they’re not as old as Tudor Thornblade!”
Then a new expression crosses Maggie’s face.
“I know who’s older than Tudor!” she says. She turns to June. “I have an idea, but I need your help! Can you summon your broomstick?”
THREE DROPS OF BLOOD
Maggie
After I explain my plan, June raises her arms, muttering the incantation to summon her broomstick from the forest.
I turn to Rae. “Just hold them off a little bit longer.”
She nods at me, her dark brown eyes intense and full of love. Her long hair is pressed to her cheek, damp from exertion. I push it out of her face, remembering the night I first saw her in the woods. It seems like a lifetime ago.
The din of the battle crashes around me. I almost want to laugh. Back in August, all I wanted was to go to John Johnson with Timothy. To take gap year trips to Rome and pretend to shiver when it’s cold. To fit myself into a life that wasn’t meant for me.
I could never have imagined that I would be fighting to defend Elmwood Academy against vampires and wolf shifters on a snowy December night. But as I look around me, at Rae, Hallie, June, Professor Vyas, and my mother…I know I would rather be here than anywhere else in the world.
If this is my last moment, I’m glad it’s a good one. Rae pulls me into a kiss, sealing us together.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you, too.”
“Maggie, come on!” June says, tugging at the sleeve of my shirt. She hands me her broomstick. “You’re the better flier.”
“Yeah, but you’ll need to come with me,” I tell her. Both of us crowd on the broomstick and we take off.
“Where are we going?” she shouts.
“My room!”
We fly straight up, above the fighting. It’s difficult to maneuver with June behind me, I’ve never flown with someone else before. The wind whips my hair into my face and I have to rely on my night vision as we ascend quickly into the dark winter sky. We pick up some speed as I focus all of my power on getting us to my window.
Then a flash of purple light crackles through the air and knocks us off course. I struggle to right the broomstick as we lose altitude. June tightens her grip around my waist.
“Maggie!” she yells. “The vampire!”
I look down and my heart leaps into my throat. It’s the vampire who attacked me before. Her eyes glow with purple light and her face is twisted into a terrifying grin. Her red cloak billows around her as she rises through the air, gaining on us quickly.
June raises one arm, blasting yellow magic at her in an effort to throw her off. But the vampire ducks it easily, responding with her own offensive purple beams. I weave through the air desperately, trying to keep our course unpredictable to avoid them. I’m using every ounce of my ability to fly. Now I understand what Professor Vyas meant when she said her and mom’s powers would be weakened by their imprisonment. After losing blood to the vampire, I find my powers are less honed, more sluggish. I grip my broom handle tightly, reaching inside myself.
Just a little farther, they’re all counting on you!
With that final push, we manage to beat the vampire to the window of my bedroom. There’s some time to spare, but I’m sure she’s close on our heels. I fly through the window and land in a heap in the center of my room. June waves her hand to light the candles on my altar so we can see. We scramble to the window.
