Blood Rush (The Lost Witch Trilogy #2) (18 page)

“Just remember she doesn’t get to keep your heart,” she warned quietly.

Zane snorted and bumped her with his hip. “Oh Sarah. If you only knew.”

Sarah smiled and turned to Zane but paused when she heard cars drive up the gravel road. She and Zane walked over to the front of the house and stared down as Race, Gretchen, Agnes, Francis and Beatrice each got out of the two cars and walked to the house. Their faces were grim and Francis looked physically ill as if she’d just seen a car wreck.

Sarah and Zane looked at each other with mirroring looks of worry. “Come on,” Zane said and walked towards the door. Sarah shook her head and hopped over the railing.

“Nah, this is faster. Come on, let’s just float,” she said, looking over her shoulder.

Zane smiled walked back towards her and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go then.”

They stepped off the roof, using their power to push the air up around them as they floated quickly down to the gravel walk way. Sarah let go of Zane’s hand and ran up the front stairs, catching the door before Beatrice could shut it on her.

“What’s happened? How did it go with Charlie?” she asked.

Everyone turned around in surprise to see her and Zane. Race walked forward and grabbed her hand in his, looking strained around the eyes and mouth.

“Sarah, Charlie is missing. She’s been missing since last night. Her great aunt who is her guardian has notified the police. They’re searching for her, but there are no clues.”

Sarah felt her whole body go cold at the implications and turned to stare at her grandmother. Francis watched her reaction and looked older than she had the day before.

“Charles has taken her. I’m sure of it. And I take full responsibility. He would have never known about her if it weren’t for me. We should have gone immediately to get her last night. I’ll never forgive myself,” she said, looking frail and withered.

Sarah shook her head in horror and turned into Zane’s arms, craving the feeling of safety that only he could give her. Zane looked just as sick as Francis did. Sarah could feel energy pulsing though his system in waves. He wanted to go help Charlie. She could feel it.

“Come in now and let’s shut the door. We’ll all have some lunch and we’ll figure this out,” Agnes said, motioning everyone forward.

Race shut the door and locked it before joining everyone in the kitchen. Sarah looked around at all the sad and depressed faces and sighed.

“Where’s Lash?” she asked, as she realized he was the only one missing.

Agnes pulled out a bowl of leftover potato salad from last night and smiled. “He had a test today he didn’t want to miss and there was really nothing he could do here so he went to school. He should be home in a few hours.”

Sarah nodded and moved to stand by her dad. “Dad, if Charles can’t cross grandmother’s lines, who took Charlie?” she asked softly.

Race grimaced and took the plate holding a turkey sandwich and potato salad from Agnes. “That’s what worries us the most Sarah. We don’t know. If someone is here on Charles’s orders, doing his bidding, then none of us are safe. If we don’t know who it is, we can’t protect ourselves from them.”

Sarah frowned and glanced at Zane who was taking a plate from his grandmother. He was looking at her worriedly. She felt words come into her mind,
Maybe we should leave? Get Charles away from our families. If he catches up to us, I’ll take him out and that way no one else will get hurt.

Sarah frowned and glanced at her dad and grandmother and at Agnes. For the first time in her life, she had a real family. She didn’t want to leave them. She looked at Zane and shook her head slightly and thought back into his mind,
I don’t want to leave my dad and everyone else. I think we need to stay together. Plus, we need to find Charlie
.

Zane’s eyes narrowed and he nodded in agreement. Francis came and stood next to Sarah and touched her shoulder. Sarah looked up curiously and put her sandwich down.

“Sarah, Gretchen told me how you found Zane when he was taken by your aunt’s friends. Race couldn’t believe you could pin point his whereabouts but you did. Please tell me how you did it.”

Sarah looked around the room and realized all conversation had stopped and everyone was looking at her expectantly. She looked back at Zane and smiled softly.

“I can always tell if he’s somewhere close by. It’s like we’re connected and there’s a line that goes from me to him,” she said, blushing as Zane’s eyes warmed.

Francis cleared her throat, drawing her attention back to her. “I understand you two have been apart for the last couple weeks. Did that affect this connection you have? I apologize for asking such a personal question, but it has bearing on this situation,” she said.

Sarah put her plate down and rubbed her hands on her jeans, wishing her dad and Gretchen weren’t listening to this. “Um, I thought it would. There were times, I wished the connection would break, but it was still there, the whole time.”

Francis nodded and switched her gaze to Zane, looking at him curiously. “And you? Do you feel this connection to Sarah or is it one sided? If you were at school, could you find her?” she asked.

Zane put his drink down and snorted. “Are you kidding? I knew she was coming towards me before I’d even laid eyes on her. I’m so connected to her, I can feel her blood pumping. I can tell if she’s upset or happy or if her power is about to explode.”

Francis nodded and looked across the kitchen to Race. “I think they can track, Race. They’re all we have. I’m not up to it physically, or else I’d attempt it myself.”

Race shook his head doubtfully. “Just because they can find each other, doesn’t mean they can find Charlie. Sarah hates the girl.”

Gretchen walked over to her son, running her hand over his glossy hair. “Honey, do you feel connected to Charlie at all?”

Zane looked up in surprise. “You mean connected in the same way I’m connected to Sarah? Uh
, no
. With Sarah, it’s like we’re magnets drawn to each other. With Charlie, I almost feel repelled.”

Gretchen looked at Race and frowned. “I don’t see how they can find her. On the plus side, if Sarah’s taken we’ll have a chance to get her back.”

Race’s eyebrows dropped down into a V and he looked dangerous for a second. Sarah’s eyes widened when she saw energy spark on her dad’s hands like hers did occasionally.

“
Dad?
”

Race flexed his fingers and they glowed for a few seconds before fading. “We have to get Charlie and we need to get her now. If Charles thinks he can just walk in here and snag her then he’ll be even more confident about going after Sarah.”

Francis nodded in agreement. “Sarah and Zane can find her so long as she’s still in town. If Charles has taken her across the lines, then we there’s no hope for her.”

Agnes who had been quiet, standing beside Beatrice making sandwiches, spoke up. “I don’t think she’s left town. I have a strong feeling she’s still here.”

Francis raised an eyebrow at Agnes. Agnes lifted her chin and stared back. “I have my own gifts Francis. I don’t need to throw water around to prove it.”

Francis cracked a smile and looked at Beatrice. “Bea, if you were a kidnapper, where would you take a young witch?”

Beatrice didn’t look surprised by the question as she handed Francis a plate of food. “The woods by the ocean of course. They’ll be watching the roads. So whoever has her probably went there and is waiting for a boat to come pick them up. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Race thumped his hand on the counter. “Of course! Let’s hurry and head there now. All of us.”

Sarah and Zane looked at each other worriedly. Zane walked over and put his arm around Sarah’s shoulders sending warmth into her. “Wait. How do you know Sarah and I can even find Charlie? Like we said, we can find each other, but that doesn’t mean we can find her.”

Francis shook her head impatiently. “She needs you to find her. Young man, you have your powers for the sole purpose of helping others.
She
needs your help. Focus everything you have on finding her and you will. Just know this. Finding her, will protect Sarah. Are you at least willing to try?”

Zane’s arms tightened around Sarah and she felt him nod. Sarah nodded her head too. “I’m in. I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll try.”

Race took one more bite of his sandwich and wiped his mouth. “Let’s go now. I have a feeling the longer we wait, the more dangerous this becomes for everyone. First we have to stop by the high school and get Lash though.”

Agnes nodded with a smile but Gretchen looked confused. “
Lash?
Why would we need to pick him up? He’s not a witch. How can he help?”

Race shrugged and grabbed his jacket from the back of a chair. “We need everyone we can get Gretchen and don’t underestimate him. He’s powerful in his own right. He needs to be there. He needs to be a part of this. Agnes, tell her,” he ordered.

Agnes smiled and picked up a few dishes, placing them in the sink. “Gretchen, I keep telling you that boy is connected to this. Now let’s get going everyone. There’s a young girl who needs us.”

Everyone grabbed their coats before heading for the door. Sarah, Zane, Race and Gretchen went in one car, with Agnes, Francis and Beatrice in the other. Sarah leaned towards her father from the back of the car and tapped his shoulder as he drove down the gravel path.

“Can you track too Dad? I mean, can you find people? Grandmother told me you’re strong. I remember when you came to help me at Drake’s house. You have more power than I do,” she said in confusion.

Race grinned but kept his gaze on the road. “I don’t know about that. But I’ve been developing my power for a long time. The difference between you and me is that you’re this strong
now
. I was just pretty average when I was your age. But as far as tracking? I just don’t know. That’s why we’re all going. Our hope is that you and Zane will find her. But we’re all going to do our part.”

Sarah nodded, still confused and sat back in Zane’s arms. Zane sighed and pulled her close and she felt anxiety whipping through his system. She looked up at him and pulled his face down so they were eye to eye. She spoke into his mind,
What is it?

Zane took her hand in his and kissed her fingers.
Your dad’s right. First Charlie, then you. We have to find her. She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need this in her life right now.

Sarah nodded, starting to think about how scared Charlie must be. She remembered how Zane had suffered when he had been taken and felt ill thinking of what Charlie might be experiencing.

They stopped at the school and watched as Francis went in and returned with Lash five minutes later. He glanced at their car curiously and then disappeared into her grandmother’s car. They followed Beatrice until they came to the woods by the ocean that Sarah had looked at the first time she’d commanded the water.

They all got out of the car and walked to the edge of the woods. Francis turned and looked at the group, looking grim but determined.

“If she’s here, let’s find her. It will be harder to search for her in town with all the people and houses. Let’s pray this is where she’s at. Zane and Sarah? Head for the middle and then use all the power you have to locate her. The rest of us will fan out around the edges and work our way in.”

Zane grabbed Sarah’s hand and they immediately started jogging into the woods. They were on a path, but it wasn’t well used and it was covered with limbs and rocks. They both scanned the trees and ground as they ran. A half an hour later they came to a clearing and Zane stopped, letting go of her hand.

Sarah walked in a circle and looked up, trying to get a feel for her surroundings. She closed her eyes and smelled the cool soft scents of the forest. She raised her hands out from her sides and turned in a slow circle. The sounds of the forest became deeper, the smells stronger and her senses became more heightened. She opened her eyes and saw Zane watching her quietly.

“Now what?” he asked.

Sarah breathed in deeply, still watching the dark shadowed trees. “We call to her. We use our minds and reach out to her. I’ll send out waves of my energy and see if I can pick up anything. When you were with Charlie, did you ever speak to her mind like we do?” she asked.

Zane shook his head. “She would come into my mind to command me, but I never spoke back. I always held that back. I didn’t want that connection with her.”

Sarah smiled sadly, but nodded. “Well, call out to her now. We both will. I’ll go this way and you go that way.” she said pointing down opposite paths.

Zane looked at her incredulously. “Are you insane? I’m not leaving you alone in this forest with a kidnapper loose. We do it together or we don’t do it at all.”

Sarah grimaced at her stupidity. “You’re right. But let’s hurry. If she’s here, I don’t want her to have to wait any longer than she has to.”

Zane nodded. “Okay, let’s call out and see if we pick anything up. If we hear anything, we head in that direction. Agreed?”

Sarah nodded and held out her hands for Zane. They held hands, standing close together and felt their power leap at the connection. Sarah felt Zane’s power reach up and wrap around her as always. Sarah concentrated and grabbed on to the energy and pulled it up higher, away from herself, sending it high into the air. She sent it out in circular waves concentrating on feeling anything it would touch. She blocked out all sound and all thought except for finding Charlie. She could sense Zane calling to her and blocked his thoughts too. She sent her power out further than she’d ever sent it before, feeling all the nuances and life of the forest. With her senses heightened to such a degree, she could even feel the energy pulse of the trees and plants.

She opened her mind and tried to see with her power in a way she couldn’t see with her eyes. They walked that way, hand in hand, power reaching out for so long, Sarah began to lose hope. Fifteen minutes later, she jerked to a stop as she felt a bump in her energy waves and brought all of her power back to a beam instead of a circle and focused on the bump she had felt. She let out a shuddering breath and held onto Zane’s hand and tried to open herself like she never had before. She embraced all of the power Zane could give her and then she could see clearer.