High Witch (High Witch Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

didn’t marry that horrible man.”
    He smiled. He was glad she didn’t marry him, too. The thought of her with someone else made him sick.
    “You know what?” Ariel said. “I remembered something strange last night — a weird coincidence.”
    He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “What?”
    “The man my uncle wanted me to marry. His name was Julius, too. Isn’t that funny? It’s not a very common name.”
    Brayden felt himself overcome with rage. No, it wasn’t funny! His blood began to boil. He hurriedly got out of bed, and began to put on his clothes.
    “Ariel, get dressed. Now.”
    She sat up, frowning at him. “What’s wrong?”
    “Now, Ariel! We have no time. We have no time. He’s just playing with you — he knows you’re here, he knows I’m here, he knows... he’s doing it all on purpose!”
    He stood there, shaking, so angry he had to stop himself from screaming. Ariel sat very still, looking at him. He tried to calm down.
    “We need to get moving. We leave here, today.”
    She remained on the bed. “It’s the same Julius, isn’t it?”
    He shut his eyes tightly. Damn him.
    “Yes, Ariel. It’s the same one.”

Chapter 5

    Ariel got dressed then sat on the bed, refusing to move until Brayden told her more. He sat next to her, holding her hands in both of his. He had to be calm. He didn’t want to agitate her and have her set the room on fire. He took deep breaths.
    “How can he still be alive?” Ariel asked. “If he’s your...great-great-great-grandfather, he should be long dead.”
    Brayden chewed on his lip. “He’s — different from everyone else. He cheats death. I didn’t tell you this to begin with, because I didn’t think he knew about you. We haven’t heard anything about him in years, but I guess that’s the problem. He’s due.”
    He shut his eyes, knowing he wasn’t making any sense. He sighed. “There are those that want to turn a High Witch, to be connected to her, and use her power for themselves. The witch will be committed to the one that turns her, will do anything for them. Even though she has all the power, she’ll do what the one who turns her asks. She’ll be infatuated with him. She’ll belong to him.”
    He gritted his teeth. “Julius became addicted to Lenora’s power after he turned her. He became addicted to her , to how he felt with her. But they grew old. He couldn’t stand it, knowing he was going to die. Even a High Witch can’t live forever. But he found a way that he could.
    “He and Lenora were in their seventies. She was still amazingly powerful. He convinced her to help him capture another High Witch — he said he wanted Lenora to kill the girl. But after they’d captured her, he killed Lenora. She didn’t see it coming — didn’t protect herself.
    “Julius put the new High Witch through the test, and turned her. He believed with a new witch under his control, her power would lengthen his life. He was right. He became her age, the age of the new witch he’d turned. He started his life again. He’d cheated death. And every time he starts to become old, he does it again.
    “Now, he must be ready. He must be due. That’s why he wants you, Ariel. He wants you so he can cheat death.”
    Brayden stopped speaking, waiting for Ariel to absorb the story. She sat there in complete silence, not moving, not speaking. She brought her hands up to her face, and wiped away a few silent tears.
    “Why hasn’t he been stopped? Why hasn’t he been killed?”
    “His witch protects him against everything. No one can get to him. Nothing can stop a High Witch.”
    Ariel frowned. “But why does the High Witch protect him, if he’s just going to kill her? Surely she would know — surely she would have heard about him.”
    Brayden knew it was hard to understand. “Because she’s infatuated with him — but beyond all reason. She can’t break out of it. She’ll believe that he won’t kill her, that he’ll love her forever.