First Full Moon

by Michelle Alstead

  The power is sweet and warm. Flowing through me, I no longer care about the father that won’t come home and the mother that left without saying goodbye. I’m floating on a cloud, basking in the sun, and leaving everything behind.

  Or at least I was until Larkin, Bennett, and Jasper grab me.

  “Enough!” Larkin yells, shattering my world.

  As quickly as it came, the magic slips away. Ice cubes of resentment and anger settle into my chest.

  I’m empty again.

  “What was that?” Larkin asks.

  “That was magic,” Grandmother says, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “And as you can see, it’s not something to ever play around with.” She points to the kitchen that won’t be serving meals anytime soon.

  “Sorry,” I say.

  Grandmother stares at the broken china lying at her feet. “It’s just things,” she says quietly.

  “On the plus side, great excuse to go shopping,” Larkin says.

  Grandmother doesn’t reply. She and my uncles grab the trash can and begin cleaning up.

  “Candy, are you okay?” Larkin asks as I get to my feet.

  “I think so.”

  My arm has healed without so much as a scar.

  “So does this mean her hair is going to stay that color?” Larkin asks my grandmother.

  Grandmother pauses, her eyes focused on my head. “It’s a sign,” she says.

  “A sign of what?” I ask.

  Grandmother rubs her forehead. Lines gather around her mouth. “That you’re the one.”

  “The one what?” I ask. I pick up a toaster, examining my face and hair. Fiery red curls hang past my shoulders in waves. My fingers touch the foreign hair, not recognizing it or the girl with violet eyes staring back at me.

  “The one to break the curse,” Grandmother says.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The air is warm. I touch the metal counter, and an electric spark bites my finger. Thunder booms, followed by a crash of lightning somewhere in the distance.

  “Storm’s coming,” I whisper.

  Rain pelts the kitchen windows. From inside the house, I smell the moisture washing the pollution from the air. Everything feels clean after a good rain.

  “Candy?” Uncle Patrick says.

  Walking in the rain, I could wash away everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours. Of course, I’m wearing pajamas and have no shoes, so I’ll probably be soaking wet by the time I lumber the five miles home. But still, raw feet and wet clothes have to be better than being stared at by a roomful of people.

  I lean against the counter while the rest of the family stands on the other side of the room. I might as well be a lab rat given how they’re studying me.

  “Candy!” Larkin says, waving a hand in front of my face. “Are you okay?”

  I’m a witch that’s cursed. Okay isn’t even on the table.

  “It’s Sunday. There’s school tomorrow. I have a math test. Do witches take math?” I’m not talking to anyone in particular. Just wondering out loud how my biggest problem went from passing Calculus to ending an ancient curse.

  “We should talk about what’s happened,” Grandmother says. “There are certain rules that we live by.”

  “Of course there are!” Larkin twirls her gum. “I’m going to tell all my friends that our family is a freak show. Then I’m going to sell tickets and—”

  “Larkin!” Bennett gives her a look.

  She shoves her gum back into her mouth and folds her arms.

  He’s better at getting her to back off than I am—further proof he’s not a number two.

  Grandmother makes a tsk-tsk sound. “We never—”

  “I have school tomorrow,” I say.

  Grandmother’s eyebrows shoot up, and her lips come together. “School?”

  I push my hair away from my eyes. I don’t remember it being this bushy before. “Yeah, school is that place where normal people go.”

  I can pretend to be normal, I think.

  “Candy’s right,” Uncle Patrick says. “The kids have school. They should get some rest. I’ll drive them home.”

  He wants to drive us home, but Jasper and Larkin have fathers to drive them. Shouldn’t they be here right now?

  “Where are Jasper’s and Larkin’s dads?” I ask. There’s a real shortage of appropriate parental units.

  “I sent them home,” Grandmother says.

  “Why?”

  “Because they were upset.” Grandmother sighs and turns to Uncle Patrick.

  Upset is code for something because we can’t ever be straight about anything in this family.

  “Candy should stay here until we reach her father.” Grandmother tilts her chin, just like Larkin does when she’s sure she’s right.

  “You can’t reach him?” I ask.

  “I’ve been trying all day, and he won’t pick up his phone.” Magnus shows exactly how he’s feeling on his face. He’s scared.

  Where is my dad? Where did he become a wolf? Did he kill anyone? The last thought hurts my soul. My dad might not be up for Father of the Year, but I’ve never known him to hurt anyone. Well, at least not intentionally.

  “Magnus, will you give me a ride home?” I ask.

  “I can take you. It’s no problem,” Uncle Patrick says. His eyebrows keep going up and down, and he squirms in front of the counter.

  Talk about a shifty family . . .

  “No, you should really stay here, Darby,” Grandmother says, pushing her shoulders back. “It’s not good for you to be alone at a time like this.”

  “I won’t be alone. Oksana will be there.”

  “Housekeepers are hardly company. I’ll summon Branson. He can get you situated in the east wing.” Grandmother nods as if it’s already done.

  Larkin shoots me a pleading look at the mention of Branson. Come on! Stay here! I’ll stay, too! Her eyes say.

  “I can’t stay here,” My voice is firm. It’s a tone that surprises even me.

  Grandmother and Uncle Patrick exchange a glance, maybe even a nod, which only irritates me.

  “Come on, kid,” Magnus says. “We’ll take the Mustang.”

  Grandmother’s voice goes up. “Magnus, you know how your father feels about you taking the classic cars.”

  “I’m his favorite son. I’m pretty sure it’s cool.” Magnus flashes Grandmother a smile that not even a nun could resist.

  “Very well,” she says. “Be safe. Wear your seat belts.”

  Larkin touches my arm as I pass her to leave. “You should come home with me.”

  “Yeah,” Bennett agrees. “We all need to talk.”

  “Not tonight, we don’t. Bye, Jasper,” I say, glancing over my shoulder.

  He’s huddled in a corner, grinding his teeth on his chew. He gives me a wave but doesn’t look up. No doubt he’s contemplating his future too.

  I feel all eyes on us and sense the whispers behind our backs as Magnus and I leave the kitchen. They’re wondering what I will do. Will I go all homicidal? Or will just break? Judgment hangs in the air.

  When we’re halfway to the garage, my uncle clears his throat. “What is it you want to know?” he asks.

  I frown, not saying anything.

  “Come on, you asked me to give you a ride because you knew I would actually answer your questions.”

  I take a deep breath, studying my feet as we go. “How much does it really hurt?”

  “What?”

  “Becoming a wolf.”

  “Oh.” He scratches his stubble. “We don’t have to talk about this right now. It’s your birthday. Let’s get some ice cream and count the stars like we did when you were little.”

  “I don’t need ice cream. I need the truth.” My eyes beg for it. “I won’t be able to handle what comes next if you don’t tell me the truth.”

  Magnus sighs, pausing in our walk. “It hurts more than words can describe.”

  I nod, and we continue on.

  “
It’s a torture I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and definitely not my family hence it being called a curse.” Magnus pushes open the door to the garage.

  And I here I thought it was a curse because wolves were out killing people.

  We reach Grandpa’s garage. Magnus gets the door, and we make our way to the Mustang. My uncle opens the car door and peers inside. “The keys are gone. Wait here, okay? I’m going to see if my dad left them in the study.”

  “Okay.” I lean against the Chevy parked next to the Mustang, careful not to scratch anything as my uncle trots back into the house.

  “That look says you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders.” Grandpa’s voice makes me jump.

  “Grandpa!” I move to hug him, but he holds up his hand, standing at least a couple of yards away.

  “I’m not feeling like myself. We should hold off on the hugs, Kitten.”

  Candy, Kitten, Kid, Sweets—there’s no end to my nicknames.

  Grandpa is known for his bear hugs, but after everything that’s happened it hardly qualifies as weird he’s passing now.

  While Grandmother is youthful and vibrant, Grandpa’s hair is thinning on top, gray colors his temples, and there are liver spots on his cheeks. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was fading away.

  How much does he know?

  Grandpa folds his arms over his denim overalls.

  “I like to make myself scarce around the full moon. Too many close calls to hang around the lot of you.” He smiles, wrinkles forming around his mouth and eyes in a kindly way.

  He knows everything.

  “Candy, are you okay?”

  I shake my head, fighting tears. “I don’t want to be a witch or a wolf, Grandpa. I just want to be normal.”

  He grunts. “There’s no such thing as normal. There’s just different and less different.”

  Sniffling, I rub away my tears with my sleeve.

  “Tell me what’s on your mind?” Grandpa says.

  The sun flows through the windows into the garage behind him giving Grandpa a white halo.

  “How could you marry a wolf?” The words tumble out before I can stop them.

  “I fell in love with your grandmother. To put it simply, when you meet your soulmate, there really isn’t anything you won’t do to make it work.”

  There’s plenty I wouldn’t do. At the top of the list is marrying into a cursed gene pool.

  “When did you find out she was a wolf?” I ask.

  Grandpa tilts his head to the side. “My story doesn’t matter. You got dealt a bad deal. Maybe even got knocked down.” He raises his hands, making fists. “But it’s not whether we get knocked down, it’s how long we stay down before we pick ourselves up that matters.”

  Boxing—the only sport that ever mattered according to Grandpa.

  “Thanks,” I say, wanting his advice to make me feel better.

  But it doesn’t. My stomach is still spinning acid, and I can’t stop sweating.

  “Candy?”

  “Yes, Grandpa?”

  “Some fights aren’t about strength or talent. They’re about soul.” Grandpa’s blue eyes are nudging at a point.

  “Okay.”

  My disappointment that he’s not saddling up to save the day is clear.

  “You want me to say everything will work out.”

  I nod, biting my lip. “Yeah.”

  “Whether it’s okay or not, is up to you. You can accept the hand you’ve been dealt or you can fight.” Grandpa’s jaw is set, his hands clenched.

  He wants me to break the curse.

  “I’m sorry,” he says.

  I frown. “Why?”

  Grandpa gives me a wide smile. “Because I can’t stay, Kitten.”

  There’s something he’s not saying; something he wants me to know if only I could read between the lines.

  “Where are you going?” I ask.

  “I’ve got some things to do, but I’ll be around and keeping an eye on things.” Grandpa takes a step back toward the east door. “See you later.” He gives me a knowing nod.

  I play along. “We never say goodbye, only see you later.”

  Grandpa gives me a smile with a twinge of sadness on his lips. “Because goodbye is forever.”

  The garage door leading to the house opens and Magnus returns shaking a set of keys.

  I turn back for Grandpa’s reaction, but he’s gone. Searching the rest of the garage with my eyes, I can’t find him anywhere.

  “What’re you looking for?” Magnus asks.

  “Grandpa was just here.”

  “He was?”

  “Yeah, and when you opened the door he just disappeared.” I rub the back of my head. Maybe I’m hallucinating.

  My uncle gets into the Mustang. “Well, he’s been working on a project for a while. I’m sure he’s just busy.” He leans over and opens the passenger door from the inside. “Don’t look so worried. I’m sure he’ll be back.”

  I climb into the car and shut my door. “I don’t think so.” Cold air brushes my neck though every window and door is closed.

  Magnus pushes the button for the garage door and starts the car. “Anyone ever tell you that you worry too much?”

  I laugh. “Only all the time.”

  Magnus hits the gas making the tires squeal as he peels out. He gives me a wolfish grin that comes a little too naturally. “There are good things about being a wolf. It’s not all bad.”

  I double-check my seatbelt as we speed down the driveway and head for my house. “Tell me all about it.”

  “Well, there’s the ability to run faster than a normal human being.”

  I give him a side-glance. “Is that how you won all those track trophies?”

  Magnus chuckles. “Maybe.”

  “What else?”

  “Our wounds heal at a hundred times the rate of the average person.”

  “That explains my foot and ankle.”

  “Yep. There’s also super human strength. The closer you get to your first full moon, the stronger you’ll become.”

  “Well, if I was into CrossFit, that might be a plus.”

  “Aren’t you curious about your magical powers?”

  I lean back in my seat as we whiz down the street. “I have magical powers.”

  The thought is too bizarre to process.

  “Yep, you could use that power to compel a boyfriend.”

  “Compel?”

  “Yeah, you know hypnotize into doing what you want.”

  “Magnus!”

  “Or maybe just a date to Prom?”

  I lean over and punch him in the arm.

  He winces. “All right! Don’t turn me into a frog or anything.”

  “Can I do that?”

  “I’m not answering that.” Magnus takes a deep breath.

  Sitting sideways in my seat, I face him. “Why hasn’t anyone been able to break the curse?”

  “You know my mom will kill me, right?”

  After everything, making sure Grandmother is pleased isn’t a priority.

  “I deserve the truth, Magnus.”

  “I know, kid.” He slows the car down, pulling over to the roadside. Putting the car in park, my uncle grips the steering wheel. “A lot of people have tried to break the curse including your mom.”

  “My mom?” I undo my seatbelt, bringing my knees up and resting my feet on the seat.

  “Yes, your mother and my sister Candice tried to break the curse. Candice ended up dead, and your mom was hurt. It was the last time she did magic and the reason why she left.”

  “That’s why she left?” I grip the seat with my fingers.

  Magnus’s thick, ginger brows form a caterpillar. “She left because she couldn’t do magic anymore. Why’d you think she left?”

  I thought she left because I wasn’t worth sticking around for.

  “Uh, I figured she had a fight with my dad or something,” I mutter.

  “Well, I don’t have the full story and re
ally, it’s not mine to tell anyway, but it had nothing to do with your dad. As for the curse, no one has been strong enough to undo the ancient magic that created it.” Magnus pulls his flask from his pocket and lifts it to his lips. I yank the can from his hands before he can take a drink.

  “Hey!”

  “No drinking and driving!” I open my door and dump the flask, handing it back to him when it’s empty.

  He takes it, scowling. “You are my least favorite niece.”

  I don’t even pretend to care. “Is breaking the curse about power or is there more to it?”

  “Only a McGregor can break it.”

  “And?”

  “You need the original spell, which is in the book your dad stole. You’ll also need the talisman Darby used, but most importantly . . .” Magnus stares straight ahead.

  “What? Tell me!”

  He turns to me. “You have to make a sacrifice.”

  “A sacrifice?”

  Blood sacrifice.

  If this doesn’t work, we’ll do a blood sacrifice,

  “No, Mother. It won’t come to that. Dad would never forgive me.”

  Does that mean death? Someone has to die to break the curse?

  My hands feel weak. “What kind of sacrifice?”

  “I don’t know.” He starts the car.

  My breath sticks in my throat. A heavy feeling settles into my chest between my sternum and my stomach. Don’t ask. You don’t want to know.

  But I have to know if I’m going to succeed where everyone else has failed.

  “Magnus?”

  “No, Candy.”

  “What do I need to sacrifice to break the curse?”

  Magnus shifts in his seat, rolling down his window. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know, or you won’t tell me?”

  “I can’t. The Grimoire says that Darby made a sacrifice, but it doesn’t say what it was.” Hi knees bob up and down, hitting the steering wheel. “We thought it was a wolf, so we killed one or two or a hundred.”

  Two days ago I would have gone all PETA on him, but today I just want to survive without becoming a beast once a month.

  “But it never worked. After Candice died, my mother made us swear that we wouldn’t try again, and we wouldn’t let you guys try either.” My uncle studies my face. “I know you guys will try anyway though.”

  Seconds tick by but it feels more like an hour before either of us speaks.