Girl In The Red Coat Read online

  Chapter 18.

  I had no idea how long I’d been trapped in this blacked out room. I felt powerless and had no ideas of how to escape. I couldn’t move and I was not able to shout out for help. Was I to be enslaved to Daniel for the rest of my life? It was Ben I wanted and loved but he didn’t seem to really care about me anymore. If he did then he wouldn’t have let any harm come to me.

  I formed my right hand into a fist and tried to cast a fireball to see if I could make out where I was, my right hand glowed behind me, but I couldn’t cast anything. I then heard a rustling sound approaching towards me followed by a scratching noise. I wanted to yell out ‘Who’s there?’ but it was muffled behind the gag that covered my mouth.

  ‘There is nothing you can do Grace.’

  Daniel. He must’ve been close by this whole time, watching to see if I would try to set myself free. I realised that his wolf powers must give him night vision and that he could see me, but I couldn’t see him, this made me more vulnerable.

  ‘Those restraints around your wrist prevent you from using your magic.’

  I tried again to use the mild glow that I could conjure to see through the blackness that filled the room, but there was nothing. I was helpless for sure now. It was time to surrender myself to Daniel. He wasn’t going to stop until he had me enslaved to him for the rest of my life. I lowered my head, waiting for his next move.

  ‘Aw, Grace, don’t look so sad. I promise to be gentle with you.’

  He untied the gag. The air in the room felt cool against my sweaty cheeks, it was such a relief to be able to breathe properly again.

  ‘Just do what you want with me, Daniel.’ I snapped.

  ‘Ha! I’m sure you can put up more of a fight.’

  ‘I have no strength left in me to get away from you or resist you anymore.’

  ‘Well there is still the matter of Ben to attend to.’

  ‘He doesn’t care about me, neither of you do.’

  ‘I’m sorry Grace, I can’t help who I have become. I’m not your guardian but I have never wanted anyone more ever since the first day I saw you.’

  ‘I did like you Daniel; that beautiful dance together. But you kept draining my life source from me so you could take full control of my body.’

  ‘I need to carry on with Magnus’s legacy. He chose me to be the black wolf and enslave a chosen spellcaster. As your ancestor is Florence, you couldn’t be any more perfect for me.’

  Hearing those words about our ancestors struck a chill down my spine. I needed to be free from these restraints. I wanted to touch his face, to see his eyes and look right into his soul. I needed to see if there was any good left in him at all.

  ‘Did you ever care about me, Daniel?’

  ‘Yes. A part of me wanted to be like Ben. But who I am is much, much stronger and more powerful.’

  ‘Can you untie me, please?’

  ‘No, but I will give you some light so you can see me.’

  He snapped his fingers together and a couple of lights lit up on the ceiling. I could just about make out that we were in the dance studio, with all the curtains drawn over the doors. I looked into the mirrors and saw my reflection. My hair was all ruffled and out of place and a bruise was on my left cheek where I must have landed on the ground after passing out. I focused on the figure standing behind me. Daniel had no top on, revealing his firm chest and tattoos along his arms and across his body. His eyes were full-on black and his hands had formed their claws. His shorts were torn, and he had no footwear on.

  ‘Can you switch off your wolf form?’

  ‘Like this?’

  He changed back into himself.

  ‘Kiss me Daniel, just one last kiss before you change me forever.’

  He walked over and knelt down in front of me. I hadn’t been this close to him since our first encounter. He did have gorgeous eyes, but my heart still clung to Ben. Daniel looked into my own.

  ‘You still want him, don’t you?’

  ‘That may be true, but he doesn’t want me. Can you promise to never hurt me?’

  ‘Grace, if you surrender yourself to me, I promise to take good care of you.’

  He placed his lips onto mine. I felt the venom from his tongue working its way through my veins. I grew limp and slumped down into the chair. There was nothing else for me to do now, but let Daniel do what he wanted. He removed the restraints from my wrists and ankles; there was already bruising.. He unbuttoned my red coat and slung it away.

  ‘Come, let’s get out of here.’

  He picked me up, cradling me and we vanished out of the dance studio.

  Chapter 19.

  M oving swiftly through the trees, with me slung across his shoulders, Daniel was again his full wolf form. We moved through the local park towards an abandoned warehouse that use to be a factory for polystyrene. Parts of the roof had caved in where the weather had battered, windows were smashed, and the warehouse was fully derelict. A couple of nearby streetlights just about illuminated parts of the building.

  A bed had been placed in the centre of the room. This would be where Daniel intended to take my innocence from me. We were right on the outskirts of town and no one would hear me scream.

  Pins and needles pricked my fingertips as Daniel’s venom begin to wear off and I could feel the blood flowing through my veins again.

  He slung me onto the bed.

  I had to time this right to try escape his clutches, my heart began to beat faster and the feeling of adrenalin racing to take over.

  I still played limp, pretending I was still paralysed from his venomous kiss. If I just made for the exit, I knew he would catch up with me immediately. I had to find a way to stall him. I spotted a piece of tile on the floor by the bed. With his back turned, I slowly moved to the side of the bed to grab it, then I struck him over the head with all my force. It broke in half and Daniel yelled out in pain and grabbed his head. I didn’t stop to see the damage I’d caused; I leapt off the bed and sprinted to the doors.

  ‘Bitch!’

  I didn’t get a chance to reach my freedom. Daniel became his wolf form and leapt over me to block the doorway. I saw another escape route and made for it, but Daniel was too quick for me and blocked my escape again. He returned to his human form.

  ‘Going somewhere?’

  He sniggered and charged towards me. He still had his claws. I clenched my fists to cast a fireball but he had already pushed me to the floor and pinned me down. He struck me across the face, I couldn’t tell if it was a punch or a slap, but he drew blood from my lip. He dipped his claw into my wound and lapped.

  ‘Yum. You taste sweet, dear Grace. You are so worth the challenge to make you mine.’

  He ripped off my top, revealing my bra. The more I tried to get free from him, the tighter his grip became.

  ‘Please let me go.’

  He just laughed at me. He was a predator and I was his prey.

  ‘Stop fighting me Grace. It’ll only make things harder for you as I’ll have to hurt you more.’

  He ran his claws across my body and the sting of the marks he left seared through me.

  ‘Help me!’

  My only option was to scream, as loud as I could, in case some miracle could occur. He struck my face again and I felt the full force of his fist. It hurt so much that I stopped moving and shouting.

  Suddenly, a loud crashing sound and a bright glowing light filled the warehouse.

  ‘Get off her!’

  It was Ben.

  He had finally arrived to help me. But how did he know where I was?

  ‘Oh, the hero has finally decided to show up.’

  In an instant, Daniel was off me and charging towards Ben. I could only watch as the two wolves battled it out between themselves.

  The scratches over my chest began to burn, the venom from Daniel was trying to work its way through my body again. I clenched my right fist and with all that was left in me, cast a fireball. I released it and aimed it for Daniel. It hit
him with such force that it threw him across to the opposite side of the warehouse. Ben ran over to me and picked me up from the floor.

  ‘Oh Grace, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.’

  We saw that Daniel had gone.

  ‘How did you find me?’

  ‘Every night I sit on a roof that looks over your grandparent’s house, watching over you to make sure you get home safe. When you didn’t arrive back tonight, I knew something had happened to you. I traced your scent to the college and found your red coat in the dance studio. I thought you were dead. Then I noticed Daniel’s wolf print and that led me to here. When I heard you scream, I feared I was too late.’

  ‘You arrived just in time.’

  He stroked a strand of my mangled-up hair, this was not the time to question why he had kept his distance. That would be something else for me to discuss with him another day. His expression turned to sadness.

  ‘Sorry Grace, I will explain myself to you when the time is right.’ I’d forgotten he could read my mind.

  Ben reached into his backpack and pulled out my red coat, he placed it over my shoulders to try cover me up as I was still only in my bra. Placing his hand over the scratches, he had just enough strength to heal them but not enough for my face. The venom stopped pumping through my bloodstream and the marks vanished. But this had wiped him out and he collapsed. I caught him just before he hit the ground.

  ‘Thank you,’ I whispered into his ear. ‘Thank you for saving me, now rest up.’

  He was too heavy for me to move him to the bed. I gently placed his body onto the floor, and lay next to him, placing my red coat over us both. I snuggled next to his slumped body and closed my eyes. I didn’t know if we would be safe, but for now I was not leaving Ben’s side.

  Chapter 20.

  I must have drifted off, for I was awoken by someone grabbing hold of my foot and dragging me along the cold, concrete floor. I tried squirming free, but they had a strong grip. I knew it was dangerous staying there, but I hadn’t intended to fall asleep, I’d meant to keep watch. The skin on my back was being grazed right off and it hurt so much that it burned.

  ‘Let me go!’ I screamed at the top of my lungs, looking for Ben, but he was still unconscious.

  I was thrown back onto the bed and pinned down. Daniel’s eyes were glowing red with rage and his teeth had transformed into huge fangs.

  ‘Daniel! What big teeth you have!’

  I hoped he wasn’t going to bite me as he would rip right through me with those sharp incisors. I tried with all of my strength to keep him from me.

  ‘Stop fighting, bitch, it will only make it worse,’ he roared.

  I didn’t listen and carried on trying to fight him off me, raking my fingernails down his cheek. This only angered him more. He forced all of his strength onto me so that I could no longer move. He lowered his face over the base of my neck and sunk his teeth into me. This was the worse pain I had ever felt. He lapped at the droplets of blood from my wound then licked his lips. Before the venom went rushing through my veins again, I let out a deafening scream, my lungs released the sound as high pitched as a banshee.

  ‘Your blood tastes so good, Grace.’

  The moon had shifted in the sky so that it shone through a hole in the roof and Daniel roared out a deafening howl.

  The beam of moonlight had also illuminated Ben, waking him and obviously empowering him as he jumped straight to his feet. He also led out a thunderous howl, then located me with his super-powered eyes. With my last ounce of strength, I cried out to him.

  ‘Grace!’ he yelled as he sprinted over.

  The venom was pumping through my blood stream and I was again unable to move. I could only see and hear the sounds of what was happening around me.

  ‘Let’s finish this,’ I heard Ben’s voice boom at Daniel

  ‘I would love to.’

  This time they both transformed into their full wolf bodies; Daniel a black wolf and Ben a white wolf. This was the first time that I had seen Ben in his true wolf form.

  The wolves charged at each other, scratching and biting one another.

  I felt as if I had no more strength in me left to live.

  Ben was too late.

  I was going to die.

  My breathing was laboured, and my heartbeat slowed to a halt.

  The last thing I heard was a wolf howling, as the words, ‘Goodbye, Ben’ ran through my mind. At least my breath before death was peaceful.

  -------------------

  I opened my eyes and found that I was lying on a bed of snow, all wrapped up in my red coat. Scattered around me were rose petals and herbs. I gently lifted my head to look around me.

  There was no one around.

  Sitting up, I found that I was holding a bouquet of red roses.

  I saw the snowy mountain range in the distance and the opening to a forest nearby.

  This was the spirit realm between life and death. This was the place that I had dreamed about so often. This was where I had said my final goodbye to Dominic.

  ‘This time,’ I surmised to myself, ‘I must have come here for good.’

  I got to my feet and took a few steps towards the trees

  Dominic appeared before ,me.

  ‘Grace, what are you doing.’

  ‘I believe it is my time to go.’

  ‘Well, I’m here to stop you.’

  ‘Why? Daniel isn’t going to stop.’

  ‘It isn’t your time.’

  ‘It must be, my body shut down.’

  ‘That may be true, but someone is not letting you go, yet.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Ben.’

  ‘He was too late, he didn’t get to me in time.’

  ‘Are you ready to leave everyone behind? Is death your next chosen path?’

  ‘No, I’m not ready to die yet. But do I have a choice?’

  Dominic walked to me. He looked so much paler than the last time we met here. He wrapped his arms around me. It was so nice to see him again.

  ‘You can’t let Daniel win.’

  ‘I feel terrible about what happened to you. I haven’t been able to let it go. Natalie has left. It’s like I’m alone.’

  ‘You are never alone, Grace. Ben will always take care of you. He has never left your side.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Dominic clicked his fingers and a window appeared and through it was a night sky and a rooftop.

  ‘Take a look.’

  I looked more closely through the window and recognised it as the area that my grandparents lived. Standing on the rooftop, Ben watching over someone, his gaze following a girl in a red coat, walking along the path was.

  It was me.

  The view through the window then became like a movie montage, images flashing by. Ben watching me leave the house and arrive back day after day. The time when I’d passed out on the overgrown walkway. Ben pushing Daniel away from me and carrying me straight to my grandmother’s house. The second time Daniel had knocked me out on that path, and Ben carrying me to his own home this time, taking care of me, healing me. Ben and Daniel having numerous fights over me. Ben trying to protect me and keep me out of Daniel’s clutches.

  ‘He never left me,’ I said in wonder, ‘but why did he keep his distance from me these last days?’

  ‘That was a hard choice for Ben, Grace. He didn’t think that he could control himself, being close to you, with you wanting to take things slow. He was so worried about you getting hurt, if he got too close to you.’

  ‘I wished he could’ve told me.’

  ‘He was afraid of what you would say to that, what it might drive you to do. It wasn’t the right time for you. There was much you had to discover. About who you truly are. That your granddad had chosen him as a child to be your protector someday when your paths finally crossed.’

  Through the window, I could see the warehouse where I died. There was my body, lifeless. Ben, beaten and bleeding, crawled over to the bed.


  ‘Where is Daniel, what’s happened to him?’ I asked Dominic.

  ‘Ben won. Daniel has been defeated.’

  Ben was stroking my cheek with tears falling down his face. I placed my hand up to the window, wishing I could be there now to wipe his tears away. He put his hand over to my chest, trying to bring me back. I felt something strike through my heart, as though it was trying to beat again.

  ‘Grace, it is now time.’

  Dominic placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and smiled. A white light blinded my eyesight, as Dominic and the surrounding area vanished. I blinked away from the bright light and when I opened my eyes up again, I was looking up at Ben. I was still too weak to move or make a sound but as soon as Ben saw my eyes open, his face filled with joy.

  ‘Grace, you came back!’

  I tried to murmur something, but he shushed me. ‘You need to save your strength,’ he told me. He kissed my forehead and picked me up into his arms. ‘I haven’t been able to heal you fully, I’m too weak. But I will take you to the hospital.’

  He just about managed to pick me up and carry me to his car. My eyes kept closing but I fought to try and stay conscious. Ben belted me into the passenger seat, started the car and sped across town to the hospital.

  ‘Grace, stay with me.’ Hearing those words, my body feeling as if it was failing again. ‘Don’t die on me.’ He pleaded.

  I felt his hand touch my arm every so often. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to heal me or reassure me that everything was going to be fine. Perhaps it was both? He had bought me back from dying which I was truly grateful for, so it would have been selfish of me if I had chosen to die.

  ‘We are nearly there, hang on!’

  He screeched to a halt outside A and E. As Ben carried me out of the car, I could feel heavy raindrops land upon my limp body. He only just managed to get me inside the building before he, himself, collapsed. I heard him shout for help before I sensed we were falling to the ground.