TWISTED FATES BOOK 1: THE FIRST TWIST by Jacklyn Rogers (read after TXT) 📕

heard her call out. Fortuitously, I was able to catch her fragile body before she had fallen onto the sidewalk; but that still didn't alter the fact that she was wounded, severely. I carefully enveloped Samantha up in my arms and dashed over to my home. Time was of the essence, and I would be able to tend to Samantha's injuries a hell of a lot faster if I transported her on foot rather than traveling by auto. When we arrived at my home, I immediately brought her upstairs. I laid her carefully atop my bed and removed her clothing so that I could further gauge her injury.

The wound didn't appear to be that deep, but she was bleeding profusely in spite of it. There were also several black thin webbed lines slowly veining outwards from the injury site, a very grave indication that her injury was far worse than I had fancied. Something appeared off. Samantha wasn't just stabbed; this was far more ominous looking. There was a poison festering within her wound that I was unfamiliar with. At that moment, I understood that it was necessary to call upon the assistance of those more familiar with this type of magic. Without haste, I dialed up the two witches that I believed would be of assistance. Samantha's dreadful situation was exacerbating with every passing second.

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It wasn't long before the two witches had manifested themselves in my bedroom and stared worriedly at Samantha.  Her pale body was lying unconscious upon my now blood-stained bed. Her breathing was growing shallower, and the black webbing had spread throughout most of her fragile petite form.

Shay was the first to speak. "What the fuck happened, Jareth?" She glared at me accusatorily as she ran and knelt beside Samantha's side. "You promised us that you would protect her today. I trusted you. We ALL trusted you!"

I couldn't even answer her. Shay was right. I had been berating myself since this incident occurred, the guilt consuming my whole. "I was protecting her, Shay. She had literally left my sight for a couple of minutes to go fetch – "

Shay held up her hand to stop me from continuing.

"I don't give a rat's ass what she was fetching, Jareth. You let her out of your sight, and because of your incompetence, Samantha is dyi- "

I didn't permit Shay the benefit of finishing her ominous declaration. In a fit of rage, I dashed over to her and crashed her back, vehemently against my bedroom wall. I furiously lifted her with my hand tightly wound around her slender neck. My eyes were now completely pitch black, and my fangs were extended, ready to strike. A snarl emerged from my lips as I held her struggling body in the air.

"Samantha will NOT DIE, Shay! I will not allow it! You can rebuke me for my negligence until your bloody arse is content. But Samantha WILL NOT DIE!"

I released my grip from around her throat, allowing her to collapse on the floor, coughing to catch her breath. Tears threatened to sting my eyes as I looked over and noticed Astrid. She had been quiet throughout mine and Shay's tousle and was silently sitting on the bed next to Samantha. With a wet towel in her trembling hand, she was gently wiping away the dried caked blood that had situated itself all over Samantha's torso and hands. There was a weathered old leather-bound book splayed next to her. It was open to a page with an image resembling the current state that Samantha was in. This caught the attention of both Shay and me. "What is that in your book, witch?" I asked. "Those markings appear to resemble the ones covering Samantha's body. What's wrong with her?"

Astrid slowly looked up, glancing at Shay then at me. Her cheeks were tear-stained, and her eyes were already swelling from the silent tears she had shed without our noticing. A chill ran down my spine as I heard her warily prepare to speak. Again, she looked to Shay, as if the two were silently mentally preparing for the next words that were about to come out of Astrid's mouth. She cleared her throat and began. "As you know, Samantha wasn't just stabbed by her assailant. She was poisoned."

I slowly nodded in understanding.

"Well ... according to our book of ancient herbs and plants, the poison that was used on her is a lethal concoction made up of Jessamine, Autumn Crocus, and Aconite."

Shay's eyes grew wide as she stared despairingly at Astrid, who was cradling Samantha's lifeless hand in her own. Both women began to sob as Shay made her way over to Astrid's side and wrapped her arms around her forlorn sister. The downhearted expressions on the two women's faces made it quite clear that Samantha's outlook was far from optimistic. I refuse to lose her. "Is there anything that can be done? You are both witches, for Christ's sake, isn't there anything you can do to fix – "

Immediately my pleas were shot down by Astrid. "I'm sorry, Jareth," she murmured, "but there is nothing that we can do. The poison that Samantha was infected with was too potent and is working at an accelerated rate. Dasha must have predicted that we would try and heal her. She used black magics on the weapon that stabbed Sammie to ensure that the poison spread rapidly."

I furrowed my brow lost in thought. I understood there was only one conclusion that remained. I was also well aware that I must keep my assessment to myself as the two witches before me would be less than amenable. With a composed demeanor, I addressed both Shay and Astrid in hopes of persuading them to leave Samantha's side. All I required was a few minutes alone with her in my sole care.

"I understand that you believe that we are at an impasse, but this is Samantha's life we are discussing."