“Will you at least think about it?”
Channie didn’t need to think about it. She hated the idea, but it made perfect sense. It was no accident that Elijah was involved. The damn book took perverse pleasure in torturing people. Elijah had witnessed the book’s magic when she and Josh opened it. And now he would pay for that momentary thrill with a broken heart.
~***~
Channie felt like the worst sort of criminal as she flirted with Elijah over the next few days. The kiss had to be Elijah’s idea. It was the only way she would even consider it. But she had to create the proper climate. Elijah wasn’t shy, but he was perfectly happy just holding her hand and sitting next to her as they played video games and watched movies.
When Elijah still hadn’t kissed her by Friday evening, Channie and Josh came up with a new plan. Saturday morning, Channie pretended to be too sick to go to Josh’s race. They didn’t even have to ask Elijah to stay behind. He volunteered to keep Channie company. If he didn’t kiss her today, she doubted he ever would.
Elijah grew more confident over the course of the day. He even managed to maneuver himself under her arm and huddle against her side as they watched “Coraline.” For an animated kid’s movie, it was pretty creepy. She vigilantly monitored his energy field to be sure that she didn’t inspire any inappropriate physical desires in the boy. Not only would it ruin the opportunity to break Chastity’s curse, it was just plain wrong. All she found was pure, chaste devotion—and love.
But he did not kiss her.
He went to bed at eleven thirty, well before the rest of the family came home. Channie read him a few chapters from “Sleeping Beauty,” then kissed him on the cheek and said, “Goodnight little prince.”
His eyes widened for a moment then crinkled as he grinned up at her. “Goodnight, Channie.”
She knew that a kiss on the cheek wasn’t going to break the curse, but it was as far as she was willing to go. She went back downstairs, made herself a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Josh to come home.
At a quarter past midnight, he burst through the door with another giant trophy in tow, and searched Channie’s eyes. “Well?”
She stood up, pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“Damn it.” Josh slid his hand across Channie’s back, settling his fingers in the dip of her waist and pulled her against him in a one-armed hug. His voice was nursery-room quiet and full of concern. “Hey. You okay?”
“Yeah, just tired. And disappointed.”
“Me too. Let’s go downstairs and watch a movie.”
“It’s late and—”
“I know what time it is. Come on.” Josh moved his hand to the small of Channie’s back and gently herded her downstairs.
The combination of soft music, dim lighting, and a day of racing proved too much for Josh. He laid his head on Channie’s lap and closed his eyes.
When a snore escaped his softly parted lips, Channie gently shook his shoulder and said, “Josh. Go on to bed. You’re exhausted.”
“No.” He sat up and pulled her onto his lap, but instead of setting her sideways like he usually did, he scooted to the edge of the sofa, slid his hands to the back of her knees and wrapped her legs around his waist. That was new. He ran his hands up and down her arms then slid them behind her back and said, “I missed you today.”
“I missed you too.” Channie put her hands on his chest as she leaned back against his arms.
Josh opened his heavy-lidded eyes halfway and said, “Is it okay if I put my gloves on?”
She trembled and said, “Why?”
He smiled sheepishly and said, “Can’t blame a boy for trying.”
“You haven’t used gloves since …”
“Forever?”
“Since that horrible fight in the tunnel under Cherry Street.”
He closed his eyes, yawned and rolled his head, cracking his neck. “It’s just that the girls at the race were …”
Channie froze. Not a single muscle so much as twitched. Not even her heart. Somehow, during all the scheming to get Elijah to kiss her, she’d forgotten to add the itches-for-bitches spell to Josh’s shield this morning.
Josh said, “uh-oh,” and opened his eyes.
Channie climbed off his lap and said, “The girls at the race were what?”
“They were just really friendly ... and it made me miss you even more.”
“What the hell happened at the race?”
“Nothing!”
“You better tell me the truth, Joshua Abrim or I swear I’ll skin you alive. And don’t you dare lie to me!”
Josh sighed and ran his hands through his hair, making it stick out in all directions. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“What wasn't your fault?” Channie’s fists clenched instinctively as if she could fight off the bad news coming her way.
“I got a few invitations to join some of the girls in one of their trailers.”
“And?”
“And I turned them down! Jeeze, Channie. I think you need to quit using that moon-spell on yourself. Being on the rag all the time has turned you into a...never mind.”
Channie narrowed her eyes and glared at him.
Josh licked his lips and said, “Seriously, I’ve never done anything to make you, or anyone else, doubt how much I love you. Why don’t you trust me?”
Channie took three deep breaths before speaking, but her voice still shook with rage. “Explain to me...how getting propositioned by a bunch of whores made you miss me!”
“I’m a guy! I can’t help it if having a bunch of girls wanting to jump me makes me horny.”
Channie darted towards the door. Josh grabbed her wrist. She spun around and slapped his face with her other hand. The skin-to-skin contact was brief, but it was enough to scorch her palm. This time, when Channie bolted, Josh didn’t try to stop her.
~***~
Josh’s comment was insulting, crude and hurtful, but it was also correct. Channie was tired and irritable all the time and more than a little anemic. Aunt Wisdom would be horrified if she knew how Channie was interfering with her natural cycle. It was one thing to curse the other girls occasionally, but this perpetual bleeding was reckless.
Channie released herself from the moon-curse, cried herself to sleep and dreamed of kissing Josh. It was the sweetest, most chaste kiss without even a hint of lust. But it felt wrong. She woke up with a start and gasped. “Elijah?”
Her sleep-fogged mind was confused by the juxtaposition of her dream over the strange reality of Elijah leaning over her in his flannel, Harry Potter pajamas. “What are you doing?”
“I kissed you awake. Just like Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty. Will you marry me, Channie?”
“Oh no.”
“But...You have to marry me. I broke the evil curse.”
Had he? Chastity’s energy wasn’t active, Elijah had no effect on it, but it was still there. Enchantment was still trapped inside her heart-of-hearts. Channie’s throat tightened as her heart sank. Her disappointment was tangible and left a bitter taste in her mouth. “I don't feel any different.”
Elijah leaned over and pressed his lips against Channie’s. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away from her. “Cut it out!”
“I don’t understand. Why don’t you love me?”
Channie sat up and tucked the covers under her arms. “I do love you, Elijah.” She switched on her bedside lamp. Her heart ached for him as tears filled his big, blue eyes. She reached out and took his hand. “But it’s the same kind of love I feel for Savvy, Zeal and CoCo.”
He tried to pull away from her, but it was a half-hearted attempt so she didn’t let go until he yelled at her. “I’m not a baby!”
“That’s not what I meant.” Channie pushed her hair off her brow and took a deep breath. “I love you like a brother.”
“But...not like Josh.”
“No. Not like Josh.”
“Why have you been hanging
out with me instead of him?”
Channie closed her eyes as guilt and shame pressed against the inside of her skull. What she’d done to Elijah’s heart was unforgivable. He deserved to know the truth. “To break the curse, I needed a chaste boy to kiss me.”
“You want me to chase Josh?”
“What?”
“You said you needed a chased boy to kiss you.”
How was she supposed to explain the concept of sexual purity to an eight-year-old kid? “I need someone that can kiss me the way Prince Charming kissed Sleeping Beauty.”
“And Josh can’t do that?”
“No. He can’t.”
“And I can?”
“You have the pure heart of a prince, Elijah. If anyone can break a curse with a kiss, it’d be you.”
“Did Josh want me to kiss you?”
“Neither of us wanted you to kiss me. But we didn’t know what else to do. We believe that since you saw the Book of the—the magic book, it wanted to punish you too. That’s what the book does, Elijah. It hurts people. It discovers our hopes and dreams and uses them against us to create the perfect curse. It looked into your heart and found your tender feelings for me and used that against all of us. Josh and I did not want to hurt you.”
“How will you know if my kiss broke the curse?”
“If the curse is broken, I’ll be able to touch Josh’s bare skin without hurting him. If not, my touch will cause him excruciating pain.”
Elijah offered his hand to Channie and said, “Come on, let’s go see if it worked.”
~***~
Josh lay spread-eagled on his back with his square chin pointed at the ceiling, one long, bare foot exposed at the bottom of the sofa. Channie knew in her heart that the curse was not broken. There was no need to prove it by burning Josh.
But she was still hurt and angry. Chastity’s energy boiled inside her—filling her mind with vulgar and obscene images of what must have taken place at the race—demanding Channie punish Josh for his sins.
Enchantment’s influence was weak, a butterfly in the maelstrom of Chastity’s power. But Channie could feel it, prompting her to wake Josh and tell him what had happened. She ignored the prompting and wrapped her fingers over the tender skin of his instep and squeezed, searing her palm.
Josh’s scream of agony incinerated Channie’s anger and left behind nothing but the ashes of shame and guilt.
She let go of his foot and righted the lamp he’d knocked off the table. “Josh. You’re alright. Elijah kissed me. I just wanted to see if it broke the curse.”
She turned on the lamp and Josh flinched away from her. His arms, bent at the elbows and raised into a defensive posture to protect his head, did not hide the mask of horror on his face. He was terrified. And no wonder. It was bad enough to suffer the agony of the curse when you were fully conscious. How much worse to be torn from the peaceful oblivion of sleep and plunged into the hellish reality of unbearable pain.
Josh’s dilated pupils constricted into pinpoints as comprehension replaced confusion and terror. He glanced at Elijah then leveled his gaze at Channie. “So, I guess it didn’t work.”
Still cradling her hand in front of her body, Channie said, “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
Elijah’s angelic face crumpled into a distorted mask of rage. He pointed an accusing finger at Josh. “I’m glad it hurt. I hope you die and burn in hell forever.”
“Gee, thanks squirt. I love you too.”
“I hate you, Josh.” Elijah turned his tear-streaked face towards Channie and hiccuped twice before he said, “And...and I don’t like you very much either.”
“That’s okay. I don’t like me very much either.”
Elijah turned and ran upstairs. Channie wanted to go after him, to console him, but she needed to make things right with Josh first.
His eyes were cold as stones on the bottom of a frozen riverbed. He looked at Channie for a moment, shook his head slowly, then rolled onto his side, facing the sofa.
“Josh...I—”
“Go to bed, Channie.”
She ran back to her room and buried her face in her pillow to stifle her sobs. But this time she couldn’t cry herself to sleep. She pulled out her journal and read the most recent words of the spell, focusing on the middle stanzas that had somehow been obscured by the seemingly more important words about true love’s kiss.
… Son of darkness, heed this advice, forsake all others that might entice and lead astray with a wanton smile the foolish boy they wish to beguile. Burn the image in your heart and mind of true love’s kiss, and surely you’ll find the strength and the will and the power to keep the promise you made so your love would not weep …
A chill crept up Channie’s spine and encircled her heart. The evil Book was testing Josh. She had been a fool to ignore the warning. What would happen if he failed the test and cheated on her? There was more at stake here than just their relationship—as if that weren’t bad enough—Josh was in serious danger. Channie got dressed, hugged her journal to her breast and crept back downstairs. She had to warn him.
Chapter Nine
CHOICES
Channie could tell by his rapid and irregular breathing that Josh was awake, but he refused to roll over or answer her as she begged his forgiveness and tried to explain the danger he was in.
“Josh, I know you’re mad at me and don’t want to talk to me right now, but you need to listen. Open your phone and read the words of the spell. Pay attention to the middle two stanzas. I don’t want to lose you, but more importantly—I don’t want you to get hurt. I’m so sorry I got you involved in this mess.”
Channie whispered, “I love you,” and turned towards the stairs.
Josh sat up and said, “Channie, wait.” He tossed the blankets aside, got up and wrapped his arms around her. Their thin cotton pajamas protected them from the fiery curse, but not from the flames of their passion.
Josh said, “Go get some clothes on and meet me in the basement.”
“But it’s late.”
“So? Tomorrow’s Sunday. We can sleep in.” He smacked her butt and said, “On second thought, don’t get dressed. I like your jammies.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs, but pajamas are not an option. Get dressed. And stop trying to seduce me.”
“I’m not trying to seduce you.” The way his gaze traveled over her thinly clad body said otherwise.
When Channie got downstairs, Josh was wearing his gloves. She could have asked him to take them off, but she missed holding hands. She missed the way his cotton-clad fingers felt on her face as he traced patterns over her cheeks, brow and lips.
They sat on the sofa and cuddled as they talked about the dilemma presented by the Book of the Dead’s latest revelations. Josh was more concerned about “true love’s kiss” than he was about the dangers of succumbing to the temptations of other girls. He seemed to be having a hard time focusing. He also had a hard time keeping his hands to himself.
Channie kept her rebukes lighthearted and playful. Josh would apologize and calm down for awhile, but then go right back to trying to slip his hands under her hoodie.
He said, “Do you remember suggesting that we should try to desensitize ourselves and practice touching?”
“Yes. And I also remember you saying that the more we touch the more you want.”
“I won’t deny it. I want a hell of a lot more than you’re willing to give—but I won’t force you. You know that, right?”
“I’m not worried about you forcing me. But I am worried about you persuading me.”
Josh smiled. But it wasn’t his usual goofy grin. This smile was seductive and full of temptation.
Channie’s resolve melted like butter on hot cornbread.
He said, “I’ll try to be less persuasive. But since our plan to use Elijah was a complete failure, we need to move on to plan ‘B.’”
“And that is …?”
“To desensitize ourselves, like you suggested
. So we can kiss without lust and break the curse.”
“I don’t know—”
“Think about it Channie. Do you remember how thrilling it was just to hold hands when I first bought these gloves?”
“Yes, but I still like to hold hands. I’m not desensitized to it.”
Josh lifted her off his lap and slid away from her then picked up her hand. “Is this as thrilling as the first time?”
“Well, no, but—”
“How about this?” He put his hand on her knee, but didn’t try to slide it up her leg the way he had been for the past hour.
“Alright. I see your point. But what are we going to do if we get carried away while we’re trying to desensitize ourselves?”
“I’m prepared for all contingencies.”
Channie narrowed her eyes. “I’ll just bet you are.”
“Come on Channie. What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I could get pregnant.”
“No, you can’t. No skin to skin contact, remember? Even if the curse weren’t a problem, I’d never put you at risk. I’d use protection. Besides, just how carried away do you think we’re going to get while Mom’s upstairs? There’s not even a lock on the door.”
“You’ll stop the minute I tell you to?”
“Of course.”
Channie expected Josh to pull her back onto his lap, but instead, he slid off the sofa and knelt in front of her. His eyes moved slowly back and forth—tiny little movements that she wouldn’t have noticed if not for the sparks of blue-white light refracting along the rims of his irises. He was searching her face—gauging her reactions. Channie smiled, but her mouth felt stiff and awkward.
He put his hands on her shoulders. “May I touch you?”
“You are touching me.”
“May I touch you...like this?” He slid his hands ever so slowly, inch by inch from her shoulders to her collar bone then down her arms. He’d touched her like that plenty of times already, but somehow this was different—more intense.
After a few minutes, Channie quit trying to analyze everything and let herself enjoy the pleasure of the moment.
Josh slid his hands between the seat cushions and the back of the sofa and pulled out another pair of thin, white, cotton gloves. He licked his lips and swallowed then cleared his throat. He said, “You can touch me too...if you want.”
Channie’s hands shook as she slipped on the gloves.
Enchantment (The Channie Series Book One) Page 24