Chapter Six

 Jared nodded at Xavier’s advice and headed home. He dropped Xavier at his own house as usual before heading to his own. When he pulled up in front of the mansion, he could tell something was wrong. He reached for the handle of the door when he got burnt. Magic. Someone had locked him out of his own house. Magic was banned in the territory and whoever this person was did a good job. The person was either very brave or very stupid. He looked around and grabbed a stick. He threw it right into the center of the house. He pulled out his phone and dialed Xavier’s number. He picked up at the first ring   

“You just dropped me off. Don’t tell me that you miss me already” he said  

“I need you to come to the house as fast as you can. Run here if possible. Someone locked me out of the house and I can’t get in” he said  

“Then just break down the door” Xavier said  

“I was locked out with magic. I guess some of our people are pissed off and they decided to punish me by locking me out of my own house” he said  

“Where is Alice?” Xavier asked  

“I don’t know” he said then it hit him. He might not have been the target all along, his girlfriend was  

“What if someone is not trying to keep you out but keep Alice in? She doesn’t leave the house. What if someone is trying to hurt her?” Xavier asked   

“Where are you?” Jared asked as his eyes glowed  

“I am about to leave home. You have to find a way into that house, Jared. Someone is after your girlfriend” Xavier said   

“I will” he said   

He hung up and his eyes glowed. This was going to sting a whole lot. He took a few steps back and forcefully entered the house. It felt like someone has sent him on fire. He looked at his hands and they were red, starting to burn up. He headed up to the bedroom and saw a woman there. He could swear that she looked very familiar but he couldn’t say from where or how he even knew her. He grabbed a knife from the dressing table and threw it at her. She disappeared, and so did the boundary spell that was on the house. He felt the entire house soon and he fell on his side, giving into the darkness that enveloped him. He woke up to the sound of Xavier’s voice  

“Jared! Jared!! Jared!!!”   

He moaned softly and opened his eyes slowly. He looked up and saw Xavier in his face  

“Get out of my face” he said weakly   

“When I said you should find a way to get into the house, I didn’t mean by dying!” Xavier scolded   

“There was no other way to get into the house. I had to either wait for you or find my way into the house” he said  

“Whatever you say. Where is Alice?” he asked  

“Alice? I don’t know. She was just right here when I blacked out” he said  

Xavier got up and his eyes glowed. He took deep breaths, almost like he was trying to catch a scent. He walked out of the room and headed to the study. His eyes met the sight there and his heart broke. Jared came in some seconds late and saw it too. His eyes became filled with tears immediately. She was out cold, nailed to the wall of the study like a crucifix. Xavier pulled out the nails and Jared caught her before he dropped on the floor. He carried her to her bedroom and dropped her carefully on the bed, still confused. Why should somebody do something like this to her? She was the most caring person in the whole valley. He didn’t under why she was the one that was attacked. A doctor came and covered up her wounds with bandages   

“What’s on your mind?” Xavier asked him after the doctor left  

“I don’t know. The barrier spell looked like the work of a witch but this, it feels way more personal than that of a witch” Jared said  

“You think one of the valley residents did this?”  

“Why would they?” Jared asked Xavier   

“I don’t know. Some of them are pissed that you asked them to stay still and be idle” Xavier said   

“And taking out the anger on my girlfriend? I don’t think that is even making any sense to me” Jared said

“Look, all I know is witches have a meaning to everything. Nailing someone to the wall is not just ordinary. It has meaning. Everything they do always have a meaning. I think we should just call a witch, let her tell us what it means and maybe put a boundary spell around the house. That is the only safe way I have right now” he said   

“It was a witch that attacked Alice. If she comes back to finish off what she started, what would boundary spell do to stop her? I could feel how powerful she was, right from the doors of those house?” Jared said   

“Then we would link the boundary spell to your life. As long as you’re alive, the spell stays up. For the spell to be unlinked, the person would have to get access to your blood and they can’t do that without your consent”  

“A witch did this, why should I trust another one?” Jared asked   

“Because I can’t cast spells and neither can you!” Xavier said to him   

He took a deep breath and nodded. Xavier had a point so he agreed to it  

“Fine, get a witch, one I can trust. The moment I start to doubt her, I will take her life!” Jared warned   

Xavier nodded and gave a little bow before walking out and heading out of the house. He took one of the available cars. He knew the person to look for and he hoped she was on his side in this battle. They had been friends since they were kids and at a point in their lives, they were lovers. He pulled up at her house and smiled at himself. He didn’t need to announce his presence. She already knew he was there. He walked towards the door and knocked   

“You really don’t need to do that” he heard her say  

He opened the door and walked in. He was surprised to see her reading a magazine.   

“What the hell is going on with you?” he asked  

“What do you mean? Nothing is going on with me. I am perfectly fine” she said   

“Are you sure?” he asked her  

“What do you mean by am I sure? Of course, I am. Why are you asking?” she asked  

“You are not casting any spells or tying to break hell loose. What’s going on with you?” he asked  

“Sometimes, even the strongest of witches need a break. I can’t cast spells all the time. How are you? It is so good to see you”   

“Laura, it is so good to see you too. I haven’t seen you in what? Three months?”   

“Five, actually. Considering the fact that we opted to be friends and then you ghosted me. I don’t know if I should be mad at you for that or if I should be glad to see you” she said  

“I am so sorry about that. I had a lot on my plate” he said   

“I know, that’s why I am not mad. Something tells me you didn’t come all that long way to check if I was doing okay. What’s going on?” she asked   

“Its Jared. Someone attacked his house”   

“Why is that bad news?” she asked  

“C’mon, Laura. It’s serious!” he said  

“And I am not joking either” she said  

“Why do you hate Jared so much?” he asked  

“He used to take up all your time when we were together”   

“Seriously?” Xavier asked  

“It probably wouldn’t make any sense to you. So what’s going on at his house and why would a witch attack that old place?”  

“Did you hear about Eddie?” he asked  

“You mean the little boy that got killed? News travel fast. You think Jared had something to do with it?” she asked  

“Jared? C’mon, are you crazy? Jared can’t kill a kid no matter what. Someone did have something to do with it, we just don’t know who the person is, not yet. We would get to the bottom of it!” he assured her  

“Then why does Jared need my help?” she asked  

“As I said, someone broke into his house and placed a barrier spell around it so he couldn’t get in..”  

“That is the doing of a witch. She probably wanted something” Laura said, Interrupting him  

“Yeah, we know that already. The thing is she nailed his girlfriend to his study. She literally nailed her to the wall like the crucifix. It has to mean something” Xavier asked

“Was she pregnant when he nailed her?” she asked  

“He? I was dead convinced that it was a woman” he said  

“I don’t know. I really can’t say until I see her and do a reading off her. Maybe I can manage to pick up some remnants of the magic that was used and trace it back to the user. The meaning of the nailing is deadly. If she was pregnant then her baby is a very powerful baby and it already has some enemies but what I don’t understand is why a witch would be after the baby of a wolf” she said  

“We need to know the witch. The earlier we find out, the sooner both mother and child can be assured of their safety” Xavier said   

“I would be there, first thing tomorrow. For today, I’m staying off magic” she said   

“What of she dies before tomorrow? C’mon . You can’t seriously be staying off magic for the entire day” Xavier said   

“Well, I am. I have to. There is no reason for me to use magic today and that is exactly what is going to happen. No magic for today. As long as Jared is in the house, no harm would come to his girlfriend or his baby. They are both safe with him around” she said   

“And how do you know that? Whatever was in that house, whoever it was….”  

“Is not stupid enough to attack when Jared is in the house. Jared might be a nice and understanding young man but let’s not forget how ferocious he can be when he is upset. He is an entirely different person, almost a beast. Nobody is bold enough to pull that kind of stunt when he is in the house. His girlfriend will be fine if Jared stays with her till I get there tomorrow. You are not going to make me move from here, Xavier. So stop trying to get me to use magic!” she said  

“Is there something you are not telling me, Laura?” he asked her  

He couldn’t get his head around the fact that she didn’t want to use her magic for a day. Laura had always used her magic. It was her biggest flex. She was one of the most powerful witches available and she was pretty young for the kind of power she possessed, maybe too young. She started performing magic at age 8 and when she turned 12, she was stronger than the head of the coven. So her not using her magic was something that was starting to bother Xavier a lot  

“You’re making it sound like a big deal. I am totally fine. There is nothing wrong with me and there is nothing you should be worried about. I just decided to take a day of spells and magic. Just one day of being a normal regular human, like every other person” she said  

“That is where you’re wrong. There is nothing normal about you, about any of us and I thought you would have accepted that by now. Whatever your wish is though, we need you more than you need us. I would tell Jared that you would be with him, first thing tomorrow. I would see you then” Xavier said as he walked out of her house, a little upset.