All Chapters of Hayle Coven Novels: Chapter 311 - Chapter 320

I was so excited I found myself vibrating with a mix of thrill and fear as Sebastian handed Uncle Frank over to Anastasia and strode through the entry of the house on his way to the Council chamber. It was quite late, or early depending on your undead status, and I knew we were running out of night time. Not that it seemed to stop Sebastian or even slow him down.And I thought Sunny was scary when she was pissed. He'd retained enough of his angel- of-death power his deadly allure still remained. Doors opened, sleepy witches looking out only to be snared by his energy and drawn forward. Even the Enforcers who rushed out to stop him appeared suddenly awestruck the moment they entered his sphere of influence. They followed him in a line, like the fabled rats behind the Pied Piper, pulled by the call of his vampire magic. I felt it too, though I was no longer compelled to obey it and wondered about the refreshed bite inside me the virus had awakened.Later. So much later. I had Mom to sa

We didn't move, not one of us, not even when the alarms drew close, when the firefighters arrived, the police. Usually the intrusion of normals would make us flee. But we couldn't leave them, not one of us.We were finally forced back by normals who thought this was some ordinary fire. But I knew better. Had felt a fire like this one before, knew it was fed by magic outside my own, by sorcery.Someone set it to kill the Vegas. For what they knew. I screamed inside my head at myself. They wanted to talk to me. I knew it was important. And I let them down. Would they be alive now if I'd found the time, made the time, stopped for one moment and gave them the attention they'd asked for?How much guilt could one girl survive, exactly? Because it appeared I'd signed up to find out.Who has done this? The twins found my mind, their rage making their mental voices quiver.I don't know. I let the whole coven feel my shame. But Martin and Louisa were silenced, I have no doubt of that.Quai

Today's bound to be hard, Gram sent. You'll be hearing only their side of the story. Try to keep your temper. There was a hint of amusement fueled by satisfaction in her mental voice. But oh wouldn't I love to see you burn them all to the ground?Don't tempt me. I ground my teeth together as the annoying little man gestured like he was ten feet tall at the Enforcers near the main door. The big wooden portal unsealed and Mom was marched inside. Her eyes found me the moment she passed through and though she hid it well I knew then someone filled her in on what happened. Either that or the walls the Council had built around her to keep her from contacting anyone with her power were simply nothing compared to the bond of the coven.I was betting on a combination of both.The secretary read his nasty little list of accusations all over again. This time I listened closely to all of them, though I knew the final one was the only one that mattered."Miriam Hayle," he said, "you stand accus

That was my cue. I stood and gestured at the Enforcers near the entrance. "Open the door."Batsheva glared at me, but the two black-robed witches obeyed without even hesitating. The seal retreated, the wooden portal swinging open. Batsheva's magic climbed around it as she fought to keep control. Quaid entered first, Dad's statue floating behind him. I joined my power to his, bringing Dad's effigy forward to stand front and center, right in the Council's faces.Even better? I placed it right in the path of a sunbeam. The light caught the facets of his effigy and turned it into a sparkling star."Behold," I said, letting my magic boost my volume, "the Demon Lord."Dad didn't need my help. I felt him hovering there, waiting for my signal. And, right on time, he seized the moment and tore open the veil, stepping though into his statue.More gasps. You'd think they'd never seen a demon before, the way he flooded the diamond with life, red tinted skin not reverting to human tone. Instea

The coming darkness did nothing to make my battle any easier as the virus fully woke after the sun went down. I was happy to have Charlotte next to me as I stumbled my way to the hall and the Council chamber, only just pulling myself together long enough to make it to my seat before the virus's whispering temptations returned all over again.The Council had marched in while I fought the power inside the gem and I only came back to myself when I heard a familiar name being called.Sunny looked stunning as ever, poised like Mom, though her years were apparent in every inch of her. She held herself like a queen, as though she only appeared before the Council from the goodness of her heart.Her testimony flew by while I continued my battle with the virus. It kept tempting me, telling me how easy it would be to simply sweep all of the others before me away, whispering its lies and hope into my heart. I was startled back to myself to see Uncle Frank standing where Sunny had, his handsome