Beast

by Kate Harre

‘After that, I deliberately started trying to do things. You know, like tidy my room with my mind – that was pretty cool.’ She grimaced. ‘I’m not proud of it, but for a while the power went to my head and I started using it on other people. The most popular girl in school, who wouldn’t acknowledge my existence, had a sudden outbreak of particularly nasty acne. A teacher that dared to give me a B on an assignment I’d worked really hard on found his car on its roof at the end of the day. That sort of thing.’

  Annie grinned. ‘Sydney, the bad girl. I kind of like it. So what changed?’

  ‘Well my hippie parents were no help whatsoever – I’m still not sure they even noticed anything was different!’ Sydney rolled her eyes tellingly. ‘One day a girl showed up on my doorstep and said she knew what I was. She told my parents I’d be going away for a while and she took me to a place where I met other witches, some hundreds of years old. They taught me control and, of course, a whole tonne of rules! But mostly I learnt that what I have is a gift and I need to use it to help people be better versions of themselves – and that includes me, by the way.’

  Annie wrapped her hands around her cooling cup of tea. ‘So what you did to Alex, that wasn’t about teaching him a lesson so much as about helping him be a better person?’

  Sydney nodded. ‘The process is not always enjoyable for the person in question. And I’ll admit, sometimes there is a certain amount of satisfaction to be had from bringing someone like Alex was to his knees. But the purpose is to help them see themselves and those around them in a different light and give them an opportunity to change.’

  ‘Your methods are kind of harsh, but it worked for Alex,’ Annie admitted. ‘Not without a whole lot of emotional trauma on his part though! When I first met him he was so down on himself, with this complex that he wasn’t worthy of being loved. There were times I thought he was never going to get past that.’

  ‘I know,’ Sydney said guiltily. ‘When I first cursed him I knew he deserved to suffer, but when I saw how lonely and desperate he was I wondered if I’d gone too far. Which is why that particular curse cannot be broken, even by the person who made it, except under very precise circumstances… which, in this case, you fulfilled. I wasn’t sure he was capable of love or of being loved, but he surprised me with how quickly and heavily he fell for you. I’m glad you came along.’

  ‘Yeah, me too… just a little,’ Annie teased with an impish smile. Then she sobered. ‘I wanted to ask you what you know about my particular “gift”.’

  ‘I thought you might.’ Sydney leaned back in her chair with a sigh. ‘To be honest, I’ve never come across someone like you before.’

  ‘You said you were sixteen when you first started doing magic. Adrian was around the same age when he started shape shifting and I was also sixteen. So I was wondering if there is some kind of link?’

  ‘There is to a certain extent. If someone is going to possess a magical talent or gift, it’s going to manifest around the age of sixteen – sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later. But always in the teenage years.’ Sydney shrugged. ‘Probably because that’s the time a young person can be moulded into the adult they’ll become.’

  ‘So it all comes from the same source then?’ Annie leaned forward in her chair, eager to understand why she was different.

  Sydney squirmed uncomfortably. ‘I’m no expert on this, but I guess the ultimate source would be the same. That being said though, there are many different forms of magic. How you can do what you do, I have no idea. I’m sorry.’

  Annie nodded, not really surprised. ‘There’s something else I wanted to ask you.’ She bit her lip nervously. ‘I know you’re not supposed to interfere directly, but I was wondering if you could make a potion for me, like you did for Adrian, that makes the supernatural side go away?’

  Reaching for Annie’s hand, Sydney shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, Annie, but it doesn’t work like that. Adrian had a separate form, which could be ripped from him without damaging him. But what you can do doesn’t have a physical manifestation. If I tried to mess with it, I’m almost certain you’d end up brain damaged – not that I’d even know where to start!’

  ‘So I’m stuck with it.’ Annie slumped back in her chair despondently.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Sydney reiterated. ‘If I could help you, I would.’

  Annie stayed for a bit longer, getting to know Sydney better, before she finally pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. ‘I’d better go. Alex is taking me out on our first official date tonight and I need to get ready.’

  Sydney walked her to the door and examined her face. ‘Does he make you happy?’

  ‘Yes, he really does.’ Annie threw her arms in the air helplessly. ‘I didn’t plan on falling in love while I’m still in high school. Having watched my parents, it was pretty much the last thing I wanted to do. But all I have to do is look at him and my heart starts fluttering. Every second I’m with him is exciting, even if we’re not doing anything. So yeah, he makes me happy.’

  ‘I’m glad,’ Sydney said quietly.

  Annie wrapped Sydney in a tight hug. ‘Thank you for everything. I hope this isn’t the last time I see you.’

  ‘Somehow I think our paths will cross again,’ Sydney said with a shy smile.

  Chapter 19

  Alex had told her very little about their date that evening, only that he was taking her to dinner and he would be picking her up at seven. Which made deciding what to wear a little difficult.

  Annie stood in front of her wardrobe, completely dissatisfied with everything she saw in there. She cast a helpless look at Karen, who was sitting cross-legged on Annie’s bed. ‘Help!’

  ‘I think you should wear a dress,’ Karen suggested.

  ‘But we never really dress up,’ Annie argued. ‘One of the things he likes about me is I’m not always fussing over my appearance. Jeans and a nice top might be more appropriate.’

  Karen threw back her head and laughed. ‘Oh honey, for once I’m streets ahead of you. Alex has been holed up in his house for a year. He’s finally going back out in public and with the girl he’s head over heels in love with. Trust me, that boy is going to go all out tonight.’

  Annie bit her lip. ‘You’re probably right. I guess I could wear the dress I wore for Christmas.’

  ‘I don’t think so. Wait here a sec.’ Karen darted off the bed and out of the room. She returned a few moments later with a dress draped over her arm. ‘This is what you should wear.’

  It was a deep blue cocktail dress in a shimmery fabric that gave it a silvery hue in certain lights. One shouldered, it hugged Annie’s waist before flaring out slightly over the hips and finishing just above the knee. Annie did a little twirl in front of the mirror and was delighted with the way it swished gracefully around her legs.

  ‘This is gorgeous, Mum. How come I’ve never seen you wear it?’

  Karen shrugged. ‘I got it on the last trip to New York. I was going to wear it to my next gallery showing, but I think your occasion is much more fitting.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ Annie glanced at Karen, hoping she wouldn’t change her mind because Annie loved it.

  ‘I’m sure. Tonight is a special night for you two.’ Karen smiled. ‘Your silver heels will be perfect with it.’

  ‘Will you do my hair for me?’

  ‘Of course.’

  *

  The doorbell rang at precisely seven o’clock and Annie couldn’t help the quiver of excitement that raced through her body. Tonight they could simply be together with nothing hanging over them. Racing down the stairs, she flung open the door, a wide grin on her face.

  Alex’s eyes lit up when he saw her and he gave a low wolf-whistle. ‘Wow! You look incredible. Are you really mine?’ The tip of his forefinger traced her right cheekbone. The lightest touch, but it was enough to turn Annie’s legs to jelly.

  ‘Yes,’ she answered giddily. ‘You look pretty incredible yourself.’

  He was all in black in a beautifu
lly tailored suit, which fit snugly over his broad shoulders, black shirt and tie. He looked unbearably handsome and… happy, his whole face relaxed and full of quiet contentment.

  He crooked his arm; she slipped her hand around his elbow and rested her head against his bicep as he led her from the house. But when she saw the sleek black sports car parked on the curb, she stopped dead and laughed.

  ‘That’s the Maserati you were drooling over in that magazine, isn’t it?’

  He smiled sheepishly. ‘Now that I can get out and about again it seemed justifiable. I got rid of the other car.’

  So he’d finally forgiven himself and was ready to move on. Annie beamed in approval. ‘You’ve had a very busy day.’

  Opening the passenger door, he helped her in, tucking the skirt of her dress carefully against her leg so it wouldn’t get caught in the door. ‘I had to do something to while away the long hours until now.’

  ‘So do I get to have a drive sometime?’ she asked, as he slid gracefully into the driver’s seat.

  He grinned cheekily. ‘I’ll consider it.’

  There weren’t exactly a lot of dining options in Ridgeville and when Alex pulled up in front of the most frequented restaurant, Annie knew they were seriously overdressed. Helping her out of the car, he linked his fingers through hers as they walked into the restaurant.

  Conversation petered out around them as people recognised Alex and she knew they were wondering where he’d been for the past year and what had happened to him. At one table were a bunch of Seniors from school and Annie watched as Laney’s jaw dropped open in shock. She started to rise but her boyfriend’s hand clamped down on her shoulder, holding her in place. Alex, busy conferring with the maître d’, had his back to the tables and didn’t notice.

  The maître d’ led them out the back into a secluded courtyard area where fairy lights looped across and around every beam of the pergola roof. Trees, also strewn with fairy lights, and a lush garden surrounded a small paved area, in which a single table for two stood, adorned with pristine white linen, fine china, silver cutlery and crystal glasses. In the middle of the table was a deep red rose in a slender crystal vase.

  Annie’s hands flew to her cheeks in awed surprise. ‘Alex, it’s absolutely gorgeous!’

  ‘I’m glad you like it.’ The maître d’ left them and Alex walked over to the stereo system by the door and put on some quiet, easy listening music. ‘From the moment I met you, you made me feel special. So I wanted to make our first date special for you.’

  ‘You’ve succeeded.’

  ‘Oh I’ve only just begun, Princess,’ he said with a grin.

  Returning to her side, he led her over to the table, pulling out her chair and helping her sit. He sat opposite her, his long legs stretching under the table and brushing against her bare calves. Annie shivered deliciously. Propping her elbows on the table, she rested her chin on her folded hands and gazed into his beautiful green eyes.

  ‘I picked you well,’ she murmured quietly.

  Alex flushed with pleasure and a little embarrassment. He cleared his throat. ‘Your stubbornness is probably the thing I’m most grateful for.’

  ‘Tenaciousness,’ she corrected with a pert grin. ‘Are you slow or something?’

  He threw back his head and laughed. ‘God, I love you!’

  ‘I should hope so. I spent a lot of time worming my way under your defences.’

  ‘Trust me, it didn’t take you nearly as long as you think it did,’ he responded ruefully. ‘I was embarrassingly susceptible to your every charm.’

  ‘And that’s just one of the many things I love about you,’ Annie said smugly.

  The maître d’ returned and filled their glasses with sparkling apple juice, before serving their first course – salt and pepper calamari with chilli aioli.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered for you,’ Alex explained. ‘I’ve asked them to prepare us a special menu which isn’t part of their standard fare.’

  Annie shook her head. ‘It’s perfect.’

  And it was. Every bite seemed to melt in her mouth. But if she was honest, dog food would have tasted amazing simply because she was sitting across from the guy she loved, looking into his eyes and knowing he loved her every bit as much. It was heady stuff.

  The main meal came out without Annie even being aware of it, she was so deep in conversation with Alex. She told him about her visit with Sydney and what that meant for her. He told her about how cathartic it had been to finally get rid of the wrecked car. And now that Alex’s disfigurement no longer limited his options, they were able to finally talk openly and honestly about college plans.

  ‘I don’t care where we go, as long as we go together,’ Annie stated.

  ‘I’ve done some research and there are several colleges that offer both journalism and pre-med courses.’ Alex leaned back in his chair, cupping his glass in one strong hand while the other tapped idly on the table top. ‘We just need to narrow it down to colleges not in big cities.’

  Annie nodded. The bigger the city, the bigger the crime rate and she didn’t want to ruin their college experience by putting herself in a position where she was constantly stressed out, sleep deprived and traumatised. Neither of them needed that. ‘So are you willing to try the dorm room experience or is it going to be private accommodation?’

  Alex grimaced. ‘I’ve lived virtually on my own for so long, I’m not sure I could deal with having a room mate.’

  ‘I think it will be… Dad? What are you doing here?’

  Jake had strolled in, carrying two guitars, and Karen was trailing behind him with two stools in her hands. ‘Hey, Pumpkin. We’re only crashing your date briefly. Alex will explain.’

  She looked back at Alex, who was standing to his feet and looking nervous. ‘Um, I wanted to play a song for you. But as you know I’ve never played in front of anyone before, so I asked your Dad if he’d play with me.’ He grinned. ‘I may have had an ulterior motive for asking him – it’s not everyday you get to play with your idol.’

  Annie rolled her eyes, not even needing to look in Jake’s direction to know he’d be puffed up with pride. But then her gaze returned to Alex who was anxiously studying her. ‘I would love to hear you play.’

  He nodded and relieved Karen of the two stools, setting them up at the foot of one of the courtyard trees. Jake handed him a guitar and they both took a few moments to tune them.

  Sliding onto the seat Alex had vacated, Karen glanced over at Annie. ‘He’s quite the romantic, isn’t he?’

  ‘Yeah, he is. He never fails to surprise me,’ Annie replied around the lump in her throat. She felt so incredibly lucky.

  Alex looked up at her, the guitar perched on his strong thigh. ‘This song may seem an unusual choice, but after the week we’ve had it seemed appropriate.’

  Jake counted them in and they launched into an acoustic version of One Republic’s Something I Need. Annie hadn’t been expecting them to sing and was surprised when Alex’s voice joined Jake’s. He sang with confidence despite his earlier nerves, his voice deep and smooth. Using a little artistic license, he changed a few words to suit their situation.

  We just had the week that came from hell

  But now you couldn’t even tell

  Annie covered her mouth with her hands to muffle her laughter. It was true; they had had the week from hell. Both of them had nearly died – would have, if not for supernatural interference. But at least they’d finally shared their feelings for each other. Alex was right… his song choice was strangely appropriate for them.

  Some of the patrons had obviously recognised Jake as he walked through the restaurant and the singing had captured their attention and interest. A small group of people had gathered outside the doorway, watching the two men perform. When the song finished, the crowd erupted with cheers. Annie grinned, adding her own cheers into the mix.

  Setting aside his guitar, Alex walked over to her. He held his hand out and drew her to her
feet. ‘This next one Jake’s going to do alone, because I want to dance with my girl like I wanted to at your Prom.’

  Annie glanced over at the still gathered crowd. She wasn’t someone who enjoyed being the centre of attention, but she swallowed down her discomfiture and followed Alex to a clear space in the courtyard where they had plenty of room to move.

  He turned her into his arms as Jake began playing again. ‘This one is like a snap shot of my mind whenever my thoughts turn to you… which is pretty much all the time,’ he murmured in her ear, as he tugged her close to his chest.

  Imagine me and you, I do

  I think about you day and night

  As he sang along with Jake to the famous Turtles song, Alex spun her out, turned her under his arm, pulled her back in and dropped her into a deep dip, his forehead coming down to rest against hers for a few moments before he pulled her smoothly back up again. They swayed together, their bodies brushing tantalisingly against each other.

  Taking her by surprise as Jake moved into the chorus, Alex suddenly crouched, wrapped his arms around her hips and lifted her into the air. Annie threw back her head, flung her arms out and laughed with complete abandonment, no longer caring about the crowd of people watching them as he slowly twirled her around. She was happy, ecstatic really, and she didn’t give a damn if the whole world knew.

  The only one for me is you and you for me

  So happy together

  Alex slowly lowered her down his body until her feet touched the ground again and kissed her softly on the lips, probably wishing, as she was, that they were completely alone.

  ‘That was the most incredibly romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. I love you so much, Alexander Hamilton,’ Annie whispered against his neck.

  His arms tightened possessively around her. ‘I love you too, Princess. More than I thought was possible.’

  Annie peeked over his shoulder. Laney was standing at the front of the crowd, her eyes fixed accusingly on Alex. Annie pulled back enough so she could look up at Alex. ‘Laney’s here,’ she said quietly. ‘You should probably go and talk to her.’