Rise of the Dark Witch

RISE OF THE DARK WITCH M. J. MERCER Copyright © 2023 by M. J. Mercer All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. CONTENTS 1. Haven 2. Rage 3. The Mercenary 4. Electricity in the Air 5. The Necklace 6. The Watcher 7. The Dark Witch Frost & Flame About the Author Did you like this book? Acknowledgments 1 HAVEN Edinburgh. United Kingdom. The nightclub was at the far end of a long, narrow road. There was no sign above the door, no security guards, or a line of patrons to show a business existed. Even the entrance was unremarkable. Just an ordinary door with faded blue paint and a rusty doorknob. The club didn’t even have a name, at least not an official one, but everyone who knew the bar called it Haven. Josie had always found the name ironic. It let customers know it was a safe space, somewhere the supernatural beings living or traveling through Edinburgh could let their guard down. People like Josie had little to worry about from humans, though. It was other supernatural beings who were the real threat. Vampires, especially, made her nervous. They had an instinctive hatred for witches like Josie. She’d never tangled with one, at least not directly, but an ancient vampire had killed her mother several years ago. Josie still didn’t know why he’d done it, beyond the obvious thirst for blood, especially magical blood, but she and her mother had lived in a remote part of the Scottish countryside. Certainly, there were easier and more abundant areas for a vampire to hunt. She’d found her mother dead in their living room. Two telling bite marks on her neck. Her flesh a light shade of blue, the vampire having drained every ounce of blood from her body. It took weeks, but Josie eventually discovered the name of her mother’s killer. The vampire had long since vanished, though, and she’d heard nothing of him since. Josie rolled the hot mug in her hands as she sat at the bar in Haven. It was an especially frigid night in Edinburgh, the thick fog adding an extra layer of chill to the air. She downed what was left of the spiced drink. She stood and scanned the club for the person she was supposed to meet. Her father had described the fae, a remarkably beautiful woman with golden hair and shimmering blue eyes. But Josie knew the fae could change their appearance as easily as a shapeshifter could. She’d been at Haven for close to two hours. Either the fae had no intention of showing, or else she’d seen something she didn’t like and had backed out of the exchange. Josie took a final stroll around the club. There were several vampires present, and she prayed the fear coursing through her veins didn’t show on her face. There was also her increased heart rate to be worried about. It was a surefire way to attract a vampire’s attention. She finally left the club, not knowing how she was going to break the bad news to her father. The warlock had vanished into his laboratory days ago and had only reappeared long enough to order her to meet the fae for his last ingredient. Josie didn’t know what potion he was concocting, and she knew he’d never tell her. The man spoke to her as little as possible. It still surprised her that he’d even let her live there. As she stepped out into the cold, Josie pulled the hood of her heavy black cloak over her head, her long fiery red hair disappearing beneath the dark garment. She’d barely made it a few blocks when she sensed someone behind her. The cobblestoned street was wet from a recent downpour. She should have been able to hear the person’s footsteps in the many puddles covering the road. She hadn’t, though. “You don’t look like Gannon,” the young and innocent-sounding female voice said. Josie stopped but didn’t turn around. “Why should I look like him?” “He’s your father, is he not?” The woman moved around Josie so that they were facing each other. The old woman, hunched over and wrinkled like her tattered clothes, surprised Josie. “Your voice doesn’t match your appearance,” Josie said, and there was no hiding the suspicion in her tone. “Is this better?” the old woman asked, and she transformed into a teenager not much older than sixteen or seventeen. Her mother had told her the fae liked to show off, but this was the first time Josie had seen one in person. “How shall I know when you finally show me your true appearance?” “You couldn’t handle the sight of the real me,” the fae said. “Were you in Haven?” “Too many vampires. I have nothing to fear from them, but why draw attention and then have to kill them all?” “Do you have what my father needs?” Josie asked. “Has he even told you what it is?” “No, he hasn’t.” “Doesn’t trust you enough, does he?” Josie didn’t respond, even though it was the truth. The fae reached inside her coat and removed a bronze vial hanging from a chain. She pulled it over her head and held it out in front of her like a prize she expected Josie to snatch away. “Tell your father this is the last favor. I’ve already paid him back a dozen times over.” Josie took the vial, placing the chain over her head and tucking it inside her cloak. “You better hurry,” the fae continued. “He’s coming for you.” Josie turned and looked behind her, but all she saw was an abandoned street shrouded in fog. A second later, the vampire appeared around the corner and headed her way. She recognized the vampire at once.