by J. N. Colon
My teeth gritted as I attempted to patch a few holes in the invisible barrier. With the rest of my mind, I focused on the crystal and listening to Lucas’s encouraging words. Warmth coiled in my chest, radiating through my veins.
Finally, the crystal began to shake. Slowly but surely, it lifted a few inches in the air.
“I did it!” My heart fluttered wildly in my chest.
“Um, well, yeah. You levitated the crystal.”
The hesitancy in Lucas’s voice pulled my eyes up—and up. He was floating about a foot off the ground. I glanced around and realized everything in the attic was floating.
Oh hell. So much for the flimsy walls around me. They may as well have been made of tissue paper—the cheap kind.
Lucas’s eyes widened. “No, Angel! Don’t lose it. Just try to—”
His words were cut off as he dropped to the wooden planks with a thud and everything else followed, rattling the entire attic.
“Oh my god.” Heat crawled up my face, burning my skin. “Are you okay?”
“Yep.” He slowly struggled into a sitting position, grimacing. “I had no idea you’d be such a pain in the ass—literally.”
I hid my face in my hands. “I’m such a disaster.” If I wasn’t tearing up cemeteries, I was tossing people and objects around.
“I was only joking.” Lucas pried my hands away, tilting his head so he could peer into my eyes. “It’s no big deal. I’m not hurt. I promise.”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to run far away.”
He shot me one of those sweet, dimpled smiles. “Not a chance.” His brown eyes softened to melted chocolate. “Why don’t we take a break?” He pulled me up, his hand engulfing mine. “We can gather a few supplies we might need later on down the road.”
“We’re going shopping?” I only knew of the one occult shop and that was in Monroe. I doubted my mom or Abuela would want me traipsing off to Madame Monnier’s again. Of course they didn’t know about the other two times.
His lips quirked. “Not exactly.”
Dry underbrush snapped and crunched under our steps. I reluctantly took Lucas’s advice to forgo my usual flip flops and don a pair of dusty sneakers from the back of my closet. Instead of going shopping at a store, we were scavenging in the woods for ingredients.
If we had to collect animal parts, he was SOL. I wasn’t touching frog eyes or rat tails
“What was it like growing up with magic?” I asked.
He adjusted the burgundy leather messenger bag over his shoulder. “Like any childhood, I guess. It was more chaotic with children capable of setting you on fire or turning your skin green.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “I could only imagine what Marisol would have been like. I would have woken up with snakes for hair every morning.”
Lucas’s chuckle was warm like the sun. “She definitely would have tortured the others. No doubt about it.”
“Before our father bound our magic, did she show her special talent?” I asked, stepping over a crack in the old road.
Lucas chewed on his bottom lip, his gaze cast down. “It’s possible, but I don’t know what it was.” His smile was too tight and didn’t reach his eyes. Was he lying?
I shook the thoughts away. Lucas had no reason to lie about that.
He halted and bent, picking up a pebble and dropping it in the leather bag.
My brow furrowed. “That’s an ingredient? A pebble?”
“It’s not just any pebble.” He motioned toward the road and then a small trail cutting across it. “It’s inside of a crossroads. That makes it special.”
My heart fluttered as I recalled a conversation with Etie at Chickarees. He’d just saved me from Baron Samedi’s spirits and was explaining why Carrefour was different. The entire town was a mystical crossroads between this world and the spirit one.
I shifted, the weight of Etie’s absence suddenly heavy. I could feel Lucas’s worried gaze on me, so I shook off the anxiety as best as I could. “Should you be writing all this stuff down or crossing it off your shopping list?”
He tapped his forehead. “I got it all in here.”
“Okay, Zen master.” We resumed our walk, heading into the forest. “Just don’t ask me when you forget.”
“You remember more than you think.” He jerked his head to the left, the sun glinting on his sandy-brown waves. “This way.”
“Will I be able to visit the coven soon?” It’d be nice to meet more people like me. Maybe I wouldn’t feel so freakish. I might actually blend in.
“I don’t know, Angel.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “The elders in the coven know about you being a conduit and some of the trusted members, but…not everyone. Your father didn’t make it public knowledge.”
“You think it’s dangerous?” I swallowed hard. My powers were so coveted I couldn’t even trust my family’s coven.
Lucas pulled me to a stop, his fingers curling around my wrists. “I just want to be cautious with you. And I’d rather your barriers be firmly in place.”
“Sure.” I could understand that part. I didn’t want to suck everyone’s powers up and shoot them out like a volcano.
“You’ll meet the coven soon enough.” He pulled me back down the trail, one of his hands lingering on my wrist. “And they’ll all love you.”
I scoffed and casually slipped free of Lucas’s hold. It was like he hadn’t even realized he’d done it. “I’m sure they’ll love me when I’m tossing them around.”
He chuckled. “Some might find it fun.”
“Just like an amusement park ride.” Sarcasm was thick in my voice.
Lucas laughed again. It was a deep, mesmerizing sound, one I could listen to all day. I lifted the hair off my neck and fanned myself. “Is there a girlfriend at this coven?”
Lucas was quiet for several moments before finally answering. “No girlfriend.”
“No?” I found that hard to believe. “Why not?”
He shrugged. “I just haven’t… It’s complicated.”
My brow arched. “Complicated how? Too many to choose from?” I pictured a horde of girls chasing after him.
His hand reached up, lifting a vine out of my way. “In our coven, it’s not uncommon for witches to be promised to each other when they’re really young.”
My head snapped back. “Are you talking about arranged marriages?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds.” He shrugged and glanced at me from beneath his ridiculously long lashes.
Why were guys always blessed with the prettiest lashes? Marisol and I even envied Etie’s. Bastien’s too.
“So, you’re kind of engaged?” Etie would appreciate that tidbit of info. I tried to imagine being practically engaged to someone when I could barely walk. If I’d stayed, would I already have a brujo husband waiting in the wings? My fingers rubbed over my toujou, an ache twisting my chest. If I’d stayed, I never would have met Etie.
Lucas’s shoulders slumped a hair. “No. She—well—she chose someone else in a different coven.”
“What!” The uneasy thoughts of never meeting Etie flew from my mind.
Lucas chuckled at my indignation. “I know how you’re feeling.”
“How could she?” Lucas was a hot tamale and too sweet to cast aside. I didn’t know this girl, but I already disliked her. If we ever met, I’d give her a piece of my mind. Or at least I’d stare at her really hard with a pinched expression.
“In all honesty, it’s not really her fault.” He swallowed hard and averted his eyes. “There were extenuating circumstances.”
“She’ll regret it,” I said, gently nudging his arm.
“Maybe.” He gave a noncommittal shrug. “We were chosen because our powers would have balanced each other out. And now, she’s with the worst person imaginable for her.”
A deep rumble of thunder shook the forest, stealing my attention from the conversation. I glanced up at dark storm clouds quickly rolling in. “Oh cr
ap. It looks like the sky is about to open up. We better get back.”
Lucas was staring at me, an unreadable expression over his face. He quickly blinked and looked away. “Yeah, let’s hurry. You know what happens when witches get drenched with water.” He winked.
I snorted on a laugh. “We melt.”
We dashed onto my porch right before the sky began dropping buckets.
“Just in the nick of time.” Lucas’s brown eyes gazed out at the curtain of rain. “That storm came out of nowhere.”
I shrugged, enjoying the crackle of lightning and boom of thunder—as long as I wasn’t the cause for it. “It happens all the time in the summer here. One minute the sun is shining, the next the heavens are falling.”
Something brushed my cheek, and I glanced over to see Lucas’s hand in my hair.
He flashed a warm smile, pulling out a leaf. “Someone followed us home.” He was closer than I realized, so close tiny rings of gold were visible in his eyes.
“Thanks.” My voice was barely a whisper. It felt a little too intimate on this porch with the rain cocooning us in and electricity from lightning flowing through the atmosphere.
“Anytime.” Those brown eyes began to melt into liquid pools of chocolate.
I hitched my thumb over my shoulder. “We should get inside.” I opened the door and quickly stepped over the threshold, Lucas hot on my heels.
“Angel, wait.” His fingers wrapped around my arm, his touch too warm. “I just wanted to…”
I slowly spun around, swallowing hard at his intense look. “Yeah?”
His gaze dipped to my mouth, and he leaned forward.
Woah!
“There you two are.” Abuela came to a screeching halt, blinking at the small amount of space between us.
My cheeks flamed, and I stepped back. Thank god for her timing. I didn’t know what Lucas was thinking, and I didn’t want to know.
“Hey.” My voice came out in a squeak. I cleared my throat. “Were you looking for us?”
A slow smile curled her lips. “I was just going to suggest you two take a break from the magic. You should go to the movies together—do something fun.”
My lips thinned. A movie with Lucas sounded like a date, and that would be pushing Etie way too far.
“I’m going out with Riley and Lana,” I said.
“You should take Lucas.” Her dark eyes twinkled in his direction. “I’m sure he’s tired of hanging around your mother and me.”
“Oh, that’s okay.” He ran his hand through his hair and shifted awkwardly, a flush crawling up his neck. “I don’t want to impose.”
My stomach knotted. He’d been working so hard to help me and doing nothing else. He didn’t have any friends in Carrefour. Marisol was always stuck up Jesse’s butt, and I wouldn’t punish anyone with being a third wheel on a date with them.
Before I could stop myself, words were tumbling out of my mouth. “You should come, Lucas.”
He perked up. “Really?”
This was a bad idea on so many levels. For whatever reason, Lucas had gotten a little too close a minute ago, and if Etie found out, he would lose his voodoo shit on the brujo.
Chapter 13
Music pumped through the many speakers set up in Jake’s house, forcing the partygoers to talk over the thumping bass. My fingers curled around the silver pendant. I really hoped my powers didn’t go batshit crazy tonight. There was enough electricity flowing through this place to bring Frankenstein’s monster to life.
“That guy is a family friend?” Riley was staring down Lucas who was talking to Jake on the other side of the living room. “And he’s staying at your house?”
I sipped the foamy keg beer from a plastic cup. “Yep.”
She fanned herself. “I would go crazy with that piece of man cake staying down the hall from me.”
Lana snickered. “Did you forget she has that sexy swamp creature wrapped around her little finger?”
I shot her an incredulous look. “Swamp creature?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. He does live in the swamp.”
Riley twirled an auburn curl around her finger and bit her lip. “He can be my creature from the black lagoon any day.”
I choked on my beer. “That was weird in so many ways.”
Unfortunately, Etie had to work on Mr. Belmont’s store, meaning Trisha would be stuck up his ass for the next few hours. He wasn’t too happy when I told him Lana and Riley wanted to drag me to a party at Jake’s. I could practically hear the scowl in his voice over the phone. I left out the small detail of Lucas tagging along. There was no need to annoy him further.
I rolled my shoulders and shifted uneasily. I hadn’t seen Etie all day, and I was starting to feel it. My muscles were tight, and I was on edge. This was probably the best and worst side effect of the gwo-bon lyen. When I was with him, my entire body hummed. I was in paradise. But being away grew harder with each passing hour. My soul ached for his.
“OMG, Angel.” Melissa Nasar, a girl from our class, sidled up to me, a wide smile over her heart-shaped face. “I’ve heard some juicy things about you.” Her navy eyes flared with way too much excitement, and I already knew where this conversation was headed.
“Hey, Mel,” I said, waiting on the inevitable.
She flicked her golden-blonde hair behind her shoulder, biting her glossy pink lips. “Are you seriously dating Étienne Benoit?”
“She sure is.” A heavy arm unexpectedly rested on my shoulders, and I caught sight of that familiar cheeky grin. “My little brother loves him some angel food cake.” He winked.
My cheeks heated. “What are you doing here, Bastien?”
He ignored me, turning his attention to Melissa, Lana, and Riley. “Hey, girls.”
They just about fell out. I was surprised they didn’t drop to the floor and beg the oldest Benoit to ravage them right then and there. The little twinkle in Melissa’s eye told me she was seriously considering it.
I nudged Bastien. “Did Etie send you here to check on me?”
“Can you blame him?” He motioned his hand down my body. I was dressed in a jean miniskirt and a teal blouse. My long hair was in tousled waves falling around my shoulders and down my back. “You’re looking too hot tonight, cher.” His eyes narrowed in Lucas’s direction. “Too many guys are looking at something they ain’t ever going to touch.”
Riley giggled beside me, and I swear she was about to sprout wings and fly like she was pumped full of Red Bull.
Feeling Bastien’s dark gaze on him, Lucas excused himself from Jake and headed in our direction.
Oh great. Bastien was going to cause an even bigger scene than he already had.
Lucas stuck out his hand, seemingly unbothered by the bokor’s presence. “I’m Lucas. You must be Bastien.”
Bastien waited a beat before he finally grabbed Lucas’s hand, gripping it hard. A menacing smile curled his lips. “Nice to meet you.”
Lucas nodded all the while gritting through the pain. “Likewise.”
I kicked Bastien’s shin, and he finally released Lucas. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“It’s a guy thing.” He gave a noncommittal shrug. “I’ll play nice from now on. We just had to get that awkward meeting out of the way.”
A dry laugh escaped Lucas as he shook his hand. “Right. I think I may need some ice. That’s one hell of a grip you got there, Benoit.”
Melissa, Lana, and Riley traded furtive glances, silently giggling over the entire situation while I was dying of embarrassment.
Bastien looked at each of the girls. “Which one of you lovely ladies can point me in the direction of a drink?”
“I can!” Riley piped up the same time Melissa grabbed his arm.
“Over here.” The perky blonde began to lead him away.
Riley looked like she was ready to tear Melissa’s head off—until Bastien’s fingers wrapped around her wrist.
“You can come to, Red.” He flashed her a c
rooked smile.
The look of evil had been replaced by one of pure delight. “Sure, okay.”
He glanced back at Lana. “You coming too, cher? The more, the merrier.”
She shrugged. “Why not? I can referee the impending wrestling match between Riley and Melissa.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Bastien looked like a kid in a candy store.
I shook my head, watching the four of them walk away. If Etie had sent Bastien here to watch over me, he was going to be disappointed. He should have known better. His big brother had the attention span of a five-year-old when girls were around.
Lucas chuckled under his breath. “He wasn’t exactly what I expected.”
I chewed on the rim of the plastic cup, shifting back and forth. “He’s a little less brooding than the other Benoit.” Seeing Bastien had only made the ache for his brother that much stronger. Maybe I should have dropped by the Leroux house earlier. Seeing him for just a minute—breathing in that familiar, intoxicating scent—would have prolonged the inevitable anxiety his absence caused.
My fingers fumbled with the ends of my hair, twisting and pulling them. Was Etie feeling this uneasy right now?
“What’s wrong?” Lucas’s gaze lingered over me, lines creasing his forehead. “Your energy seems off.”
“I haven’t seen Etie all day.” I sounded like a pathetic, dependent girlfriend who couldn’t get out of bed without talking to her significant other first.
“The soulbind?” Lucas pointed at the tattoo above my collarbone.
I rubbed the swirling symbol branded into my skin. “The longer we’re apart, the worse it gets.”
He twisted the cup in his hand, staring absentmindedly into the living room. A group of girls was dancing, but he didn’t seem the least bit interested. He was somewhere else.
When he finally turned back to me, a shadow crossed his face and turned his usually clear eyes dark. “If there had been another choice, would you have made the same decision?”
My brow puckered. “What do you mean?”