The Magic of Hecate
Chapter 10 Chapter 10

We ran along the rooftops of Venice. Leaping over alleyways andjumping various walls and obstacles as if we had been doing it ourwhole lives.

And I was having the most fun I've had in three months.

The four mafia men in hot pursuit only added to the thrill andexhilarating of the chase. We were gaining ground much quicker thanthey were and I felt confident that we would escape without a fight.Well, that was until we reached the end of one building and it was atleast a six-metre jump to the next.

"Are you fucking insane?" Max hissed grabbing my wrist andpreventing me from taking the jump without a second thought. "Anddo you want to die young?"

"You're underestimating me. I can do it," I reassured before taking along run up and leaping across the wide alleyway.

I reached the other side with just a few millimetres to spare.

"Your legs are double the length of mine!" I called to Max who was stillon the other side. "If I can do it, so can you!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" he called after looking back at the fastapproaching men.

He quickly took a few steps back before sprinting to the edge. The menwere a mere metre away and the one at the front reached out to graspmy cousin as he neared the edge of the building. His fingers brushedalong the fabric of Max's jeans, a split second earlier and he would havegot his ankle. I watched as he lept off the edge of the building, armsflailing and guards desperately trying to grab at his legs. He landedwith a thud on the next building beside me, breathing heavily andwiping the sweat from his brow.

"That was way too close,” he panted sitting up to see the men stoodangrily still on the other side of the gap.

"We don't have time to waste," I said. "Get up.”

We made our way to the other side of the building where a set ofexternal steps stood.

"Down here," I said beginning to hurry down them.

We ran for about ten seconds before Max grabbed my arm and hauledme to a stop.

"Wait," he asked. "Do you hear that?"

I strained my ear to hear echoey footsteps coming from the stairsbelow us.

"Oh shit," I cursed turning on my heel and thundering back up thestairs.

We reached the top again only to be met by the four men, who wereoriginally chasing us, now having all made the jump.

"Double shit,” Max muttered searching for another way off the rooftop."Triple shit," I added as about five more Mafia guards poured out of themetal stairwell- including the Descendent of Hecate we had first met inNaples.

Did he follow us here?

"You have nowhere to go," he informed us pointing a gun in ourdirection. He wore an arrogant smirk and strode towards us withconfidence and ego in his step. "I've been following you on yourjourney and we have this entire building surrounded. Did you think youcould steal from us and get away with it?" he asked stepping closer tous.

"We did the first time,” I hissed slowly removing the Preaesidium DeaeAstra from its holster. The smirk was wiped from his face and replacedwith a furious glare.

His upper lip twitched slighted before he lurched forward and grabbedme tightly around the waist with the gun pointed at my head as hesnatched the sword out of my hand.

"I think I'll take this,” he said examining it carefully after releasing me."If it's the book you want then fine, we have no need for it anymore,” Isaid chucking them the heavy document, feeling kinda relieved that Iwouldn't have to carry it with me anymore. One of the guards caught itand stifled a laugh.

"I'm afraid it is not that easy, sweetheart. You messed with us, now wehave to mess with you,” he muttered in my ear.

Suddenly, three of the men stood behind us were tackling Max to thefloor and seconds later a different three were coming for me.

An exhausting struggle later, Max and I were both knelt on the rooftopwith our hands behind our backs, restrained by three mafia men each."And I believe you still have something that belongs to us,” he saidtaking my satchel and replaceing the amulet.

"That doesn't belong to you,” Max spat. "It was a gift from theGoddesses to the Luna of the Stella pack.”

"I don't care for the witches or your stupid pack. As far as I amconcerned, this belongs to the Mafia meaning you have stolen from us.Now, who should I go for first?" the descendant of Hecate tauntingwaving the paralysing tool in his hand.

"The whore who left you on the floor for twelve hours probably,” Oneof the men holding me said.

“I'm not a whore," I spat trying to free my arms.

He slowly strolled up to me before crouching down and roughly pullingmy hair so that I was forced to look at him.

"Oh yeah?" he asked an evil glint in his eye. "You're Alpha Loren’s littlewhore, aren't you? Bet you let him do all sorts of dirty things to you?""Get the fuck off me,” I said jerking my head away from him as all sevenof them laughed.

I scowled at him and tried to force myself free...again...

"You really are a work of art,” he said grabbing my face again in one ofhis hands and running his thumb along my lower lip. "What beautifuleyes and sexy lips..."

His finger and eyes then trailed from my lips and down to my neckbefore hesitating for a moment. He looked me dead in the eye before Ifelt his hand grab my breast.

I struggled and screamed, but one of the men holding me justslammed his big, gold-ringed hand over my mouth. An amusedexpression swept over his face as he maintained our eye contact. Howcan someone get so much pleasure from another's pain? Cynical.Totally and utterly cynical.

After a few more agonising moments and Max growling some things Ishan't be repeating in front of my kids, he finally let go and cut a slit inmy arm with the Preaesidium Deae Astra.

Blood flowed out of the tiny wound but apart from that nothing.

"Did I forget to mention that it only works when the Luna of the Stellapack wants it to?" I growled as the wound on my hand glistened for afew seconds before healing and disappearing entirely.

He then tried it on Max and the exact same process occurred. The manthrew it onto the floor in anger.

"Take them back to the base and I'll let you know when I've decidedwhat to do with them," he snarled. "Maybe we will even introduce themto the boss."

The boss? If he's not the boss, then who is?

I felt myself being dragged to my feet. Without hesitation, I foughtagainst them. I failed to liberate myself but at least I made their jobsmuch more difficult.

"If you aren't going to come along nicely, I will inject you with enoughwolfsbane to keep you knocked out cold for hours. And it won't exactlybe painless, sweetheart,” he threatened.

I gave him a sarcastic smile before kicking one of my restrainers in theplace it hurts the most. I elbowed the second in the face and kicked thethird in the chest leaving them all either sprawled onto the floor orclasping a body part in agony.

Max was having more trouble and just before he shook the last one offI felt a sharp scratch in my arm and my world went black.