Madison fires the gun over and over until she is out of bullets. Each and every one somehow misses the bastard.

Creeping towards my shotgun, I point at him and blow his fucking head off.

Blood sprays my car, splattering Madison as the Rogue’s headless body slides down the side of the vehicle.

She flings the door open and runs to me, jumping up and wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.

‘Let’s get inside.”

Head her in through the back door of my house. “I need you to stay here while I get rid of the bodies. I don’t need any more turning up on my doorstep, not until I know what’s happened here.”

“Okay.” she whispers and I reload the gun for her.

“Just in case.” I mutter

I don’t see anyone else when disposing of the Rogues. I also don’t sense anyone else watching us, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t, especially if I’m losing my ability to sense them. I should have scented the one that knocked me to the ground. I should have seen it coming.

It didn’t matter now. They were both dead.

Lighting a match, I toss it on to their bodies, watching them go up in flames before walking away.

“Madison?” I call out as I enter my kitchen.

She doesn’t answer immediately. And then I hear a very weak and scared “Here!”

Slowly pushing open the door to the dining room. Cooper has Madison with her back pressed to his chest. An arm locked around her as he holds one of my fucking kitchen knives to her throat.

“You’re not here.”I growl

He pushes the tip of the knife into Madison’s throat. She lets out a squeal as a bead of blood appears.

“You are still not here.”

“You are a smart Hunter, but a stupid one.”

“Maybe, but you are still not here in this house. You project yourself, right? Make it seem like you are present. You are clearly strong to be able to carry a weapon. Strong enough that you seem real. So how did you get here?”

“Does it matter? I will be able to find all of you, won’t I Maddie?” He drags her back a few steps. She squeezes her eyes shut, trying not to cry.

“You put something in her?” I demand

“No.” He smiles at me

“It’s in you.” Madison cries. “It is in you.”

“Me?”

“And everyday, you grow a little weaker.” He smiles at me.

“You haven’t laid a hand on me!” I snap.

“No, I haven’t.” He agrees “It’s funny what a little spell can do. How easy it is to control someone, right Maddie?”

“I didn’t know.” she whispers.

“That’s the beauty of it. They don’t even know they are doing it.” Cooper laughs. “Amazing abilities us Witches have!”

“Do you know many other Witches?” I mutter sarcastically

The smile disappears from his face as he glares at me.

“So what’s the purpose of tracking me, huh? Taking away my abilities? What do you get out of it?”

“Pick you off, one by one, Cooper and Sam get to have lots of fun.” He sings.

“Samara? Samara is locked in a fucking dungeon. The last I heard, she wanted nothing to do with you, you cunt!”

He pushes Madison to one side and points the knife at me. “What did you say?”

“Which bit? Calling you a cunt or telling you that Samara wants nothing to do with you. Lets see, when I threatened to cut her finger off a few hours ago. She told me she never wanted to see you again. That you lied to her, her whole life and if she does see you again, she will rip your throat out.”

“LIES!”

“Nah. I don’t have a reason to lie to you when I know the truth will piss you off more.”

“I could slice your throat open.”

“Yes, you could. But I can see from your legs that you are getting weaker.” They were slowly fading. “Anger makes you weak, not strong. You are barely holding on. So get the fuck out of my house, because when I do see you. I’m going to string you up and let the crows feed on your decaying flesh. That’s if the Witch Hunter doesn’t get to you first.”

The knife clatters on the wooden floor as he disappears. I glance over to Madison who is curled up under the side table. “You didn’t know you did that to me, did you?”

She shakes her head but refuses to meet my eyes. “He told me just before you came in.”

“Injection or a drug?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know when, where or how. I don’t even know if he is telling the truth or if I have done it to others..”

“I have a machine downstairs that scans bodies. So we will soon find out.”