Bruja

Time seemed to slow as three figures dressed in white stepped off the path that led to the parking lot.



No way. They wouldn’t do this. Not on my watch.



I sprang into action. From this distance, I couldn’t see who they were, but it didn’t matter. I ran across the quad, drawing a knot of protection on my chest. A vampire moved toward me, then stopped as the protection hit home. I dodged the fighting wolves. I couldn’t fight the way they could. My getting involved that way wouldn’t do anyone any good. But the coven members that were starting toward the wolves—



Them, I could stop. I wouldn’t let them any closer to the wolves. Not while I had breath left to spell them with.



“Claudia,” Teresa’s voice rang out, but I didn’t stop. “Wait.”



Something grabbed my shirt, pulling me up short. I spun around. “What?”



“You don’t want to see this.”



I turned back around as I heard Raphael cry out. “Daniel!”



My blood ran cold. No. She wouldn’t do that. She couldn’t…



Raphael and the others ran outside, racing across to the figures in white.



“No. It’s not possible.” I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Daniel was there. He was one of the people in white.



But he was dead.



Oh God. The only way to make the dead to walk again was to possess them with some nasty demons. Daniel was a monster now, but my brother hadn’t realized that yet.



I couldn’t stop it. I was too far away.



Raphael reached Daniel, and froze. Daniel’s shoulders were hunched over, making him seem smaller than usual. His usual spiked up hair was limp. He leaned toward Raphael and I knew something bad was about to happen unless I found a way to stop it.



I grabbed Teresa’s hand and pushed what little energy I had left into her, amplifying her werewolf abilities. “Run. Fast. Don’t let him kill my brother.”



In a flash, her aura brightened until it was like staring at the sun. Her form shimmered—clothes falling to the ground—as she changed to wolf while running across the grass. My eyes couldn’t keep up with her. One second she was in front of me, and the next she was gone. She jumped on Daniel, knocking him from Raphael, but it was too late. Raphael screamed, and I could almost feel Daniel’s teeth as they ripped into my brother’s arm.



I took off running as fast as I could, wishing I had even half Teresa’s speed. Pure terror clawed at my gut. This wasn’t happening. I couldn’t let this happen.



When I got close enough to make sure I wouldn’t hit any wolves, a spell formed on my lips and I flung it at the two standing figures. Girls. Sadie and Antonia.



The spell hit its mark and they stumbled back.



Daniel was on the ground. Not moving.



He was dead. He should’ve stayed dead. Not been corrupted by Luciana’s evil magic.



“Come back with us,” Sadie said as she pulled herself to her feet. “Luciana can fix your wound.”



“Never!” Raphael struggled to get up, cradling his arm against his chest.



Relief made my limbs shake. He was okay. He wasn’t dead. He was going to be fine.



“None of us are ever going back there,” Raphael said.



The wolves howled, and I noticed the quiet that had fallen over the rest of campus. The vampires must all be taken care of because the wolves moved to form a tight circle around us.



“Take them to the feral cages,” Mr. Dawson said. He wore only a pair of gray sweatpants as he stood among the wolves. Two more men came running, wearing the same clothes.



“That’s not a good idea,” I said. I didn’t know what these feral cages were, but I wasn’t sure they were strong enough to hold a witch. “They’ll be able to—”



“No. I’ll sedate them,” Dr. Gonzales said, appearing at Mr. Dawson’s shoulder with a black messenger bag slung over her shoulder. “They won’t be able to use their magic if they’re unconscious.”



The two girls gripped each other as they were led away by the two men, six wolves, and Dr. Gonzales. They headed toward the building where classes were held. It seemed odd, but a groan from Raphael and I forgot all about them.



“Let me see it,” I said as I knelt next to him.



“Daniel… He…”



“I saw.” No magic that animated the dead was good news. But this… This was beyond bad.



Green oozed out with my brother’s blood.



“Let’s get him to the infirmary,” Mr. Dawson said. “Dr. Gonzales can look at the arm when she’s done with the others, and we can see what we can do.”