Dark Hunger

Elize closed her fist and her eyes and when she opened them, she raised her hands. Red tendrils of magic swirled and swirled until they formed a storm above her. With another roar, she released that magic and the roof above them blasted. Everything caught fire. Nessa and Owen screamed for their life as Elize walked out of the house that was once her abode. 

As she walked out, she didn't feel a modicum of regret for burning it and razing it down. She didn't regret leaving the two people in the house, screaming and running for their life. She didn't feel sad to use her magic. In fact, Elize felt liberated. Her magic that was hissing and craving to come out after hearing Nessa and Owen as if it was an entity. With it out of her body, she felt… lighter. She took a deep breath and walked out of the house with her chin tipped up, with confidence. 

Caleb and Daryn were waiting for her outside the fence of the house. As soon as Caleb saw her, he spread his arms and Elize… she ran into them. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest. Caleb rested his chin over her head as he stroked her back. While the sorcerers could see the carnage inside the house, for everyone else it was calm and quiet. After a moment, when a semblance of sanity returned to Elize, she craned her neck to look at her mate. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Do you want to leave?" 

"Yes," she murmured. 

He held her hand and they walked in the dark alley. A muffled explosion sounded behind them. She looked behind her and saw the house on fire. The three traipsed through the silent street back to where they would create the portal and go back. 

Inside the house, Nessa and Owen screamed and shouted. Wherever they went, flames blazed and glass shattered. They ran to the backyard hoping to escape, but even that was engulfed in devastating fire. 

"I want to talk to Neal," Elize said after they had walked for a while. 

Daryn handed her his phone after dialing Neal's number. 

"Yes, Elize?" Neal asked. 

"Are you still in the hospital?" 

"Yes, I am in the lobby." 

"Is there a girl around you along with a man with burn marks?" 

Neal scanned the lobby, but other than an old man who was reading a magazine and two nurses who were talking amongst themselves, there was no one. "No," he replied. "Who would be here so late in the night?" 

"Then leave that place and come back." 

There was a stunned silence for a moment. "Why?" he asked slowly. "Don't you want me to give money to your brother? Or—" 

"No," she snapped. "Leave the hospital and come out quietly. If you see the girl with the man on your way out, call me." 

"Ah, okay," Neal said and the line went dead. Who was he to ask questions? He rose to his feet and stretched a little. The old man looked at him with amusement and then went back to reading the magazine. Neal walked out of the lobby into the open. The moon was waning and rising from above the aspens. Lamp lights threw a gentle glow over the cemented pathway and the garden in front. There was no one that matched Elize's description. So, he simply walked to the parking garage where the chauffeur was waiting for him to drive back to the airport. He sat in the car, dug out the phone from his blazer and called Daryn to report, when all at once he saw a man and a woman coming into the parking area. And this time Elize's description matched. "Slow down," he said to the driver. The driver slowed down and he stared at the two as the car passed them. 

"Tell me!" Daryn's voice came. 

"They are in the parking garage of the hospital." 

"Send me the location of the hospital," said Daryn with a clenched jaw. 

Neal texted him the location and then asked his driver to turn back and park the car in the garage. When he was returning, he saw that the man and the woman were walking towards the back of the hospital. In order to follow them, he jumped out of the car. They were a level down. Since there were not too many cars at this time, Neal leapt over the railing and landed on the same level as them like a wolf he was. The two were walking hastily to the dark rear of the hospital. Neal dialed Daryn's number and in a very low voice informed him about the location of the two. 

"Maintain your distance from the girl," Daryn warned. "She is a sorceress."

"It doesn't matter," Caleb's voice came. "Her magic is still trapped in the Amber Moonstone!" 

Daryn chuckled. "Still Neal, stay cautious. Her magic is weak, and you have no magic." 

Neal disconnected the call. He began to follow them with the phone clutched in his hand and sweat trickling down his brow. He had to keep his distance from the two. They reached the rear of the hospital. It was a dark, narrow alley where there were crates stacked over each other and garbage bins brimming with hospital waste. He had to catch them and he wasn't sure what to do. Had they been rogue werewolves or vampires, he would have attacked them already, but the girl was a sorceress and that was a matter of concern. What about the man? He looked weak, but Neal was sure that the girl was protecting him. 

He hid behind the corner and watched them go to the far end of the alley. All of a sudden, the girl created a portal in front of them. Bright blue light whirled in a small spiral that whizzed and crackled and started growing into a bigger circle. 

"Shit!" he rasped. 

As if they heard him, they looked behind. "Who is there?" Edyrm asked, his hands fisted like balls. 

Neal took his fist in his mouth, cursing himself. 

"Who is it?" Edyrm shouted again, moving in his direction. 

"Leave it!" Laurel shouted at Edyrm. "We don't need company. Come back!" 

Edyrm grunted and started backtracking while scanning the alley. 

Neal knew that he had to stop them. "Gods, Daryn!" he rasped and came out of his hiding place. 

Edyrm stopped as his eyes became wide. "Who are you?" he demanded. 

Neal had to stall them till Daryn came. He inched closer and said, "I am Neal Perry." He revealed his true identity because that was the only trap they would fall in. He didn't know the connection between them and Elize, but he knew that must be very important. 

Laurel's eyes grew wide. "Fuck!" She called Edrym. "Come back now, demon!" Their identity got exposed and she was going to be a dead meat if she didn't leave soon. How did he come to know about them? She cursed Nessa and Owen for not warning them about him. 

Edrym was enraged.. But instead of attacking Neal, he turned back and started running towards the portal.