My phone chimed as I crossed the room. It was from Juniper and she was here to get ready with me. After letting her in, we quietly walked to my room. Somber instead of excited, I helped her fix her hair and makeup. This wasn’t right at all. I curled her hair in tight swirls. We darkened her eyes with a smoky shadow and black liner. With a touch of red lips, she looked amazing.
We always loved getting dressed up and going places together. This dance was ruining everything because of the vision I had. I tried one last time to talk her out of going. “Please, Juniper. I’m worried about you. I really don’t know how I will protect you…”
She cut me off before I could finish my speech. “Liv, I know you’re worried. I’m scared as hell myself, but we don’t even know if the visions you saw are real. I’m not going to miss this chance with Mark and this gorgeous gown.” She waved her arms around in front of it to emphasize her words, “just because something crazy is going on with you.”
I threw my hands up in defeat, “Ok. Fine. I’m still worried, but I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.”
And I did. We got dressed in silence, we both looked pretty in our gown choices. Juniper was a knockout, and I knew Mark was going to be floored. Glancing at myself in the mirror, I hoped I looked as good as she did. And I wished with all of my heart that Mr. Sexy would observe me tonight to catch a glimpse.
Scott
My reflection was much calmer than my insides. I was an absolute wreck, worried and scared about any strange events happening tonight at the dance. Wearing black dress pants and a white buttoned shirt, I looked formal enough to blend in if I must go in the building for any reason. My pockets were loaded with stunning charms. A knife was in my back pocket, big enough to do damage if needed. I didn’t want this fight to become violent, but I was prepared to protect Livvie.
Mark was loaded with similar charms and weapons to guard himself. I’d sent it all to him after school. Grandma and Sadie were equipped with memorized spells; immobilizing spells, memory erasing spells for innocent bystanders, slumber charms, and they’d found a few control spells that may come in handy. Overall, I felt we were well guarded. My stomach had a sinking feeling, telling me The Crimson Calamitous was much stronger and this may all be for nothing.
I loaded the bed of my truck with ropes, rags, and cleaning supplies. I wasn’t sure how big of a mess we would make if we actually killed the evil one. I climbed into the truck, my hands shaking more by the minute. I wasn’t so much scared of the fight as I was of losing Livvie. And the it was too soon to see her face to face. All of these thoughts raced in my brain. The damned curse was ruining my life. When this was all over, I was determined to destroy the descendant of Devlin Hart.
The energy inducing potion Grandma gave me was wearing off. I could feel the familiar ache returning all over my body. It was coming quicker this time. I tried to shake off the fatigue, but it was too much. I slumped in the seat a little when I started the vehicle.
I drove the twenty minutes to the community center where the dance was being held. It was at least an hour before it started, but I wanted to scope the place out. I saw Grandma’s car off on the side of the road on the way, so I knew she and Sadie were ahead of me. We were planning to watch from outside the building, while Mark would actually be inside since he was going with Juniper. I still hadn’t told him of Livvie’s vision. I knew he would be pissed if he found out I knew, but I had to keep his thoughts straight. I parked about a mile away and made my way to the building. My legs didn’t want to work and each step was more and more difficult.
When I finally made got there, I looked around and then I let out a bird call we had agreed on earlier. I heard a response on my right. I crept through the trees and bushes, careful to not mess up my clothing. Sadie was on the ground, laying out her weapons and supplies. There was a ladder leaned against the wall, and I knew Grandma was on the roof. In a hushed voice I asked, “Sadie, is everything ready?”
She nodded without looking up. She stayed concentrated on the task before her.
“What is Grandma doing up there?”
“Attaching mirrors to the tops of the windows. They’ll reflect down to let us see what’s going on when we come down to the ground.”
I was lucky to have these two on my side. Aiden wouldn’t know what hit him if these two got ahold of him. Of course, Grandma had experience in situations like these. She would know how to prepare better than Sadie or I would. “Ok…so what are you doing?”
“I’m getting everything lined up and ready, so we can just grab what we need. Is anyone here yet?”
“No. There aren’t any cars in the lot and I parked a mile away. It’s still about forty-five minutes before it’s supposed to begin.”
She nodded and went back organizing.
I walked the perimeter. The center was the size of a small grocery store. There were five windows total, but all were too high to look through. Now I understood Grandma’s idea. I peeked in the door, noticing that it was only slightly decorated. There weren’t any tables with food or drinks, nor a DJ. Strange. There wasn’t enough time to contemplate it, though. I had to scope out my hiding spot so I could be settled before people arrived. I walked back to the rear of the building and climbed the tallest tree, a daunting task in my weakened state. After getting settled on a strong branch, I turned my cell phone off and covered my legs with leaves. I wanted to make sure nothing gave me away.
Olivia
Mark had arrived twenty minutes to 6 p.m. to pick up Juniper. She insisted they take me with them even though I felt like a third wheel. Again. “I don’t want to intrude,” I said, twisting my hands in knots.
“You’re not intruding. You’re my best friend. Pleeeeease come with us,” Juniper said while giving me a puppy dog look.
“Yeah, come on. It’ll be fun, Liv. Just come with us,” Mark chimed in.
“Ok. If you’re sure,” I reluctantly agreed.
“I am. Now, let your mom get some pictures of me and Mark and then the three of us,” Juniper said excitedly.
We spent what seemed like forever on pictures. After, we went to eat, although, I insisted they drop me off first. They refused. While we dined, I couldn’t help noticing the way Mark looked at Juniper. There was no way he wasn’t in love with her. I wanted her to be happy, so I hoped he declared his love in an extravagant way. And soon. All during our dinner they held hands. It was so cute, and I couldn’t hide my excitement for her. When finished, we all situated ourselves in the car, Juniper seeming to be the only excited person present. We were silent aside from her chattering. When we pulled into the parking lot, I noticed it was empty. I wondered if we were in the right place.
“This is the address they gave us at school,” Mark said, confusion in his voice.
“Why isn’t anyone here? It’s all everyone has talked about for weeks…” I said as I looked around.
“Maybe we should just go in, see what’s going on,” Juniper said.
Terror rose in my stomach. Something was not right. And I don’t know how, but I knew this had to do with the vision of Juniper. I felt like I was in a horror movie, and we were the idiots walking right into the room where the killer was. And it was possible we truly were the idiots. I didn’t know who would want to kill Juniper, but I was afraid this eerie silence and deserted lot were a part of the plot.
“Ok, Juniper, will you stay right with me? I’m scared of this place,” I said, terror truly in my voice. I didn’t even have to pretend.
She sighed, “Liv, I know what you’re doing. We’ll be fine. Now, let’s quit being babies and go.”
I felt restless and the hair on the back of my neck was standing up as we walked to the building. I felt goose bumps popping up all over my arms, but I tried to remain calm. Mark and Juniper walked ahead of me and I noticed an outline of something sticking out of Mark’s back pocket. It had the shape of a knife.
Breathing heavier, I tried to get closer without raising suspicions. I wasn’t going to be
able to find out without actually grabbing it from his pocket, and I couldn’t do that. Surely Mark wasn’t the one who had killed Juniper in the vision. It didn’t make sense. It was obvious he was in love with her.
They walked in the front door, stopping just inside. Not really paying attention, I ran right into Juniper’s back, making a squeak at the impact. I looked around, noticing the entire room was empty. There were a few decorations, some streamers on the walls, and balloons tied to a chair in the corner. There was a sign hanging on the wall that said, “ARH Spring Dance,” and it had been slashed right through the middle. The chairs had been moved out of the way to make a dance floor, but no music played. No students from school or chaperones were in sight. There was a strange feeling hanging in the air.
A sound behind the stage in the front made us all jump and turn our heads. Aiden was walking slowly and cautiously from around the back with his head cast down. At first my heart raced more, because I thought something was wrong. But then…he looked up. His eyes stared straight into mine and he had a devilish grin on his face. His red, glowing eyes looked at me with a hunger in them.
Scott
The Crimson Calamitous slashed the banner as soon as he came in. He cast spells near the door. My guess was to make sure Livvie, Mark, and Juniper wouldn’t be able to leave. His eyes glowed with anger and hatred. I still didn’t know how he made sure no one else showed up, but I really hoped no one was injured or dead. I leaned closer to the building, holding on tighter to the branch, to watch his movements. I didn’t see any weapons with him, but I suppose with his powers he wouldn’t need any. I watched him move to the back of the stage when they pulled into the lot. I was beginning to think this was a game to him.
Livvie walked in and my heart had stopped. I leaned closer and closer, hoping to shorten the distance so I could heal. I felt warmth in my core. I was close enough. I stayed in an awkward position long enough for the ache in my legs to subside. I could feel my muscles tightening, and I was stronger. I glanced back inside and studied Livvie.
She looked absolutely stunning in her dress. It was hard for me to keep my eyes off her. Sadie anticipated this happening, because she threw a rock at me to bring me back to the present. I must remember to thank her later. When The Crimson Calamitous looked at her, I felt a rage in me I had never felt before. His eyes devoured her, and I knew he wanted her to be his mate. He knew she was going to be powerful, and he wanted to take advantage of it. I leaned my head closer to the window, trying to hear everything.
“Aiden…what’s going on with your eyes…?” Livvie’s voice was trembling.
A deep, satanic voice answered her, “My dear, Olivia, this is my natural state. I’ve decided tonight is the night we become forever mates. You…you are a gem in our world. A rare piece of magic I plan to keep all to myself. Together, we can rule the world and everyone in it.” He threw his arms up in the air and turned in a circle. An evil smile crossed his face and his eyes ravished Livvie.
“I’m powerful? I’m sorry, Aiden, you have this all wrong. I think you want someone else.” She turned to run out, but an invisible force field threw her back. Now, she was even closer to Aiden. Juniper looked terrified, and Mark drew the knife from his back pocket, holding it against his leg so no one would notice.
“No, I want you. And I always get what I want.” His laugh was deep and made the walls shake, reminding me of how evil this being truly was.
Livvie looked around, searching to see if there was anyone to help. I wanted to jump down and save her. I longed to destroy The Crimson Calamitous once and for all. I fought the urge and stayed where I was, holding my breath when she moved a little closer to him.
“Why do you want me, Aiden? Or is that your real name? Are you the red calamari that I heard about?”
His head turned sharply, his face in a rage, “Red Calamari! What did you dare call me, little girl?” Chairs flew across the room. Livvie jumped back and Mark pushed her behind him. The knife was visible now, and he resembled a warrior.
“What are you going to do, little sorcerer boy? Fight me? I don’t think so.” The Crimson Calamitous was taunting him now. I knew he was trying to get the best of Mark, and I prayed he kept his cool.
“Well, why not? You don’t like to fight? I thought the red calamari liked a good fight.” Mark mocked back. I knew this wasn’t a good move, but I found it humorous.
A chair went flying right at Mark, and he ducked just in time. The Crimson Calamitous turned his head to the side, a slight grin crossed his lips, and his right arm extended forward. His hand made a gesture, and suddenly Livvie was being pulled across the room. Her screams were almost too much, and I prepared to make myself known. He stopped her about three feet away from him. Her body was completely motionless, like he had numbed her. He looked her up and down, a hungry look on his face, and a low growl escaped him. “See? I’ll have you whether you want me to or not. I’m going to release you, but if you run…know your friends will die.”
She stood frozen, but I could tell when he released her. Her body went tense, and she glanced around. Then, she became brave and stood tall. She stared right into those red eyes. “I would rather die than be with you. But you won’t hurt my friends. You don’t want them. You want me.”
Oh, no. She was braver than I thought, and I fell in deeper love. But I knew this wasn’t going to end well. I clambered down the tree, knowing I was needed in the front with Mark. I slid past Sadie, looking in her wide eyes. She nodded in understanding and handed me a vial. It was filled with black liquid, so I assumed it was a blinding charm. I crept along the building, keeping my body flat and my steps silent. At the front door, I slipped inside, and Mark straightened. He heard me. I crossed to stand beside him and saw a sight I wasn’t prepared for. The Crimson Calamitous held Livvie as his hostage, his fists in her hair and a knife at her throat.
Olivia
I hadn’t expected Aiden to capture me and try to slice my neck. I looked around wildly and shock overtook my body when I realized Mr. Sexy was standing beside Mark. He was here. He came to save me. And damn, he was even hotter in person. His hair was ruffled, like he had just crawled out of bed, and he was in formal attire. Black pants and a white buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his toned forearms. He held a smaller knife than the one Mark had. His eyes locked with mine and a bolt of electricity shot through my body. I fought Aiden, but the knife felt sharper against my skin.
My breathing became heavier, and that’s when Mr. Sexy spoke to him. “Let her go. She doesn’t even know her destiny. How can you kill her if you want her so badly?”
My destiny? What in the world was he talking about?
“Shut up, Tabors. Yeah, I know who you are. I knew you were watching me, so I researched you. I know all about your family…and your little crush on Olivia,” he said with a laugh.
“Don’t mock me, Aiden. I know a bit about you, too. Why do you want Olivia? I thought you wanted to find a sacrifice for Delana.”
I gasped. That was the name Juniper overheard him saying at school one day. I searched for Juniper and noticed she wasn’t there. I knew she couldn’t have gotten out, because I tried and I was shocked. I peered at Mark, my mind trying to will him to look at me. But his eyes were focused on Aiden, as were Mr. Sexy’s. Suddenly, my head jerked back and I cried out in pain. My eyes widened as Aiden’s glowing pupils glared into mine. He acted like a rabid animal, his head cocking back and forth. “What do you want?” I pleaded with him.
“You know what I want. But first…I have to get rid of lover boy and your friends. I know you’ll be upset, but one of these days you’ll get over it. If not, I can cast a spell to help you.” He released my head, and I fell to the tile floor, injuring my leg as I landed on it sideways. I cried out, and Juniper ran to my side.
“Where have you been? “ I mouthed to her.
“I was sneaking around the back. I think I found a way out,” she whispered while her hands checked my leg for brea
ks. I winced as she pushed on the spot just below my knee.
“I don’t think it’s broken, but we need to be careful when you walk just in…”
She was cut off. Aiden grabbed her by the hair, just as he had me. He pulled her to her feet, and she let out a painful scream. She looked terrified, and she whimpered for Mark. My heart stopped as I realized what was about to happen. He held her in the same position he had me in. Only this time there was no reason to keep her around. He looked at me, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, and he slit her throat. Her body dropped with a thud, her head falling in my lap. Blood spurted out of her neck, covering my gown and everything around me. I pressed my hand on the wound, but there was no point. I looked into her hollow eyes and felt my heart being ripped out of my body.
Scott
Livvie’s scream shook the silence. It burned my ears and pierced my heart. Looking at her, I realized her vision had come true. Juniper lay still and bloodied in her lap, her neck sliced open. Livvie’s beautiful white dress was smeared in blood and her hands were no longer visible. Beside me, Mark realized what happened. A heartbreaking “no!” shot through the air, and he fell to his knees. The knife slid out of his reach, and he doubled over, clutching his stomach. Sadie and Grandma flew in the door behind me. Now, we were all trapped in this building. Grandma looked disgusted, and Sadie threw up in the trash can.
Aiden stood smirking at us with his bloodied knife in hand. He laughed as he studied each of us. Beside me, Mark seemingly found his strength. He jumped to his feet, his teeth bared and his hands reaching out like claws. He flew at Aiden with an amazing force, grabbing his throat and knocking him to the floor. “You killed her! You killed my heart mate! I’m going to murder you, asshole!” He growled at him through clenched teeth.
The White Aura (The White Aura Series) Page 12