Than the Water of the Womb (Book 4 in the Coven Series)

Chapter 1 Dance Until You Die

Leon

I presented my ID and the bouncer waved me through. Smoke spurted from holes in the archway as I approached the dance floor, where erratic techno music could be heard from three blocks away. Two women greeted me on the edge of the dance floor with glow in the dark body paint and brushes in hands. I obligingly unbuttoned my shirt, trying not to cringe as they painted my chest in the bright light. A woman with pink dyed hair pursed her lips at me as she clipped a glow stick necklace around my neck. As the strobes roved around us and landed on her eyes they shone an inflamed red and yellow colour in her irises.

I buttoned my shirt before slipping into the dense crowd of half naked bodies. I stood tall, my eyes on the DJ on the stage. In a black hoodie, shrouding her face in darkness she was almost unrecognisable as I gazed upon her.

I glanced away, moving with the music that demanded me to move faster and weave my way deeper into the ocean of heated bodies. The music began beating a slow rhythm our target was here. I played my part as the beat got faster and faster and tension and anticipation filled the room. The beat rose to a crescendo and the lights went out, giving way to the luminescence of body paint and glow sticks. Everyone cheered and I closed my eyes as the lights came on at the brightness of a floodlight. I opened my eyes as everyone stumbled blindly into one another. I ran to the backdoor and jumped upon our target. We fell down the three stairs and onto the pavement behind the club. Our getaway car sprang to life and shone upon my face as I handcuffed our target, shoved him in a black bag and threw him in the boot. I clambered into the passenger seat and I was driven around the neighbouring streets a few times before pulling up at a safe house.

I was quick to get out and stride over to the boot, with the help of Morgan we lifted our target from the boot and dropped her onto the dilapidated floor of the warehouse. She growled with rage from behind a black sack.

Morgan removed the sack with one swift movement to reveal a woman with long black hair, brown eyes and a neck adorned with glow sticks.

"Where is she?" I looked down at her.

Her lips twisted into a ghastly grin. "Who?"

"You know who."

"You know where she is." Morgan bent down so he could speak close to her ear. "Tell us."

The woman chuckled. "You guys must be getting desperate if you're asking people like me."

"We're asking you." I kept my tone firm and my expression neutral. "Tell us where she is and we'll let you go."

"Liar, liar-" She started to sing, but a sharp slap from Morgan shut her up.

"We're not afraid to hit women." I gripped her chin and tilted it upward so I could show her we were serious. "And you're not either, are you? Killing innocent children-"

"-Innocent!" She butted in. "You're all killers." She spoke with a fanatic passion and with fire in her tone and gaze.

I looked up and locked eyes with Morgan.

"Last chance." Morgan turned the safety off his gun before cocking it to her head.

"She's dead." Morgan fired his gun and the sound bounced off the walls and causing a ringing in my ears.

I squeezed my eyes closed and rubbed my temple as Morgan dumped her body in the boot before using his magic to clear the mess.

"Let's go." Morgan snapped me back to reality and I jumped back into the passenger seat.

We found a deserted alley to dump the body before Morgan drove towards the only portal in Miami. We slid on our sunglasses and Morgan stepped on the gas as we drew nearer the pinup poster plastered over a brick wall at the end of an alley. The feeling of slipped through water rippled over us as we were transported to an immaculate road bordered by lush greenery and sweeping palm trees. Rolling the windows down I only slightly relaxed with the sea breeze kissing my skin and the warmth of the sun.